


Blood Child

by Uzumaki_Rebellion



Category: Blade (Movie Series), Blade - Fandom, Blade Move, Wesley Snipes - Fandom
Genre: Action & Romance, Angst and Fluff and Smut, Blood and Violence, Dark Fantasy, Dark Magic, Dhampirs, Dr. Karen Jenson - Freeform, F/M, Fae & Fairies, Fae Magic, Found Familiy, Grimoire Cards, Half-Vampires, Horror, Human Trafficking, Human/Vampire Relationship, Multi, Shapeshifting, Supernatural Creatures, Supernatural Elements, Sylphs, Vampire Bites, Vampire Children, Vampire Family, Vampire Hunters, Vampire Queens, Vampire Sex, Vampire Turning, Vampires, blade - Freeform, erotic romance, supernatural characters - Freeform
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-05-08
Updated: 2020-10-16
Packaged: 2021-03-02 17:20:16
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 15
Words: 47,173
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24070468
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Uzumaki_Rebellion/pseuds/Uzumaki_Rebellion
Summary: Hematologist Dr. Karen Jenson is worried that her eighteen-year-old half-vampire daughter Brooklyn is leaning toward her natural bloody inclinations while she tries to find a cure for vampirism.A novel virus has spread among humans globally (effectively destroying a large swath of the vampire food chain) and people are required to stay indoors to slow the spread. Prowling the Los Angeles Streets with her gang of full-blood vampire friends during the quarantine enforcement, Brooklyn tries to help her set find food among the upper-class human stragglers who refuse to follow quarantine protocols much to their detriment. On one such night, Brooklyn encounters a man who thwarts her deadly plans. A man known as the Daywalker. A man claiming to be her father.Blade.What's a daughter to do when her father wants their kind dead?You declare war on him of course.
Relationships: Blade and Daughter, Blade | Eric Brooks & Karen Jenson, Blade/Dr. Karen Jenson, Blade/Original Character
Comments: 25
Kudos: 8





	1. I Remember

**Author's Note:**

> This was part of a #QuarantineWritingChallenge over on Tumblr. The rules were the fic had to be 2,500 words or less AND you had to base it off of a picture that was on a Pinterest board that had several pre-selected images. I chose an image and wrote this. I have always wanted to write a screenplay and a fic based on my summary above. I am now turning it into a book based on my own original novel. Blade and Dr. Karen Jenson are tertiary characters. Brooklyn is the lead in this joint. Take a look at my Wattpad page or my Tumblr blog to see pictures of my characters and more details. I have several original supernatural characters pictured and described there.

"I remember everything

Like how you sheltered me from harm

How you took me in your grace

And how you held me in your arms

I remember

I remember

Yeah, I remember

I remember

I remember

I remember

I remember yeah I remember…"

Emmavie—"I Remember"

"You can't tell me what to do anymore."

Brooklyn Jenson Stokes stared at her mother with heated eyes and even more heated breath. Arms crossed across her chest and leaning against the door jamb of her mother's makeshift lab, the half breed teenager waited with challenging energy for the older woman to push back.

"Brooklyn, I'm trying to keep you safe, but if you continue to act out—"

"I'm grown, Mom! Fuck!"

The curse word slipped out before she could contain it behind her sharp teeth. Brooklyn often got loud with her mother, but something she never did was curse at her.

"Sorry," Brooklyn spit out, her eyes dropping away from her mother's face.

Karen Jenson sat on her swivel stool, her right hand rubbing her brow. Weary. She looked weary.

"The city is under quarantine. We don't know if you can become infected."

"Vampires are immune."

"You are only half. You are still part human."

"I've been out five nights straight and haven't caught anything yet-"

"What about me? Aren't you concerned about bringing home something to me?"

Brooklyn's eyes became sheepish. She hadn't thought about her mother at all while she wilded out in the streets with her vampire crew. The world outside had become desperate, crazy, erratic, and exciting at the same time. Her mother had no idea how thrilling, how soul expanding, how sexually stimulating it was to be a vampire during a pandemic with humans. So many were going against quarantine mandates, especially the rich ones, and when Brooklyn fed on those self-righteous and overly privileged assholes, their blood was so much sweeter, hotter, more filling than it had ever been. Brooklyn didn't need blood to survive like her full blood cohorts. Blood to her was like an addiction, no, it was an addiction. Needed only because it was desired by her. The intense pleasure in drinking pure crimson from humans was a high she could get nowhere else.

"I'll be back before dawn. I'll shower and wash my clothes when I return, okay?"

Karen rolled her eyes and swiveled back to the high-powered microscope she was using in their office converted den.

"I could've just left and not said anything to you. I'm trying to be respectful—"

"Respect me by following the rules of my house. I want you here. With me."

"I can't."

When she was younger, her mother could force her to obey with just one word or a stern look. But Brooklyn was feeling her power now. Her vampire birthright. And a human single mother had no power over her eighteen-year-old self. Not anymore. Not when Amir and the others were out there. The first people, no, the fist vampire people to accept her fully. Humans had never done that. Ever. Not since she lost all her baby teeth and her permanent fangs grew in as a child. Once she refused to wear fake teeth anymore in grade school, her mother had to homeschool her from age nine until a month ago when all schools were suspended because of the novel virus.

Freedom. The virus gave her freedom. And Amir.

"See you in the morning," she said kissing her mother's cheek. She was stiff and her cheek was cool when Brooklyn's lips touched her skin.

"I could put you under," Karen whispered.

"But you won't."

Brooklyn sniffed the air. She could smell and hear the others waiting for her outside. They were probably lounging on top of their roof. Her mother couldn't hear or smell them. She would probably shit her pants if she knew there were nine full bloods so close to her.

"Night."

Brooklyn grabbed her leather jacket and a dark pair of shades to hide the gold rings circling the irises of her eyes. They glowed at night when they switched to night vision. Too obvious of a tell when co-mingling with humans. Contact lenses irritated her, so Brooklyn just used shades.

Sauntering outside, Brooklyn took a deep breath. She could smell the odor of fuckery that awaited her.

Amir dropped down from the roof of her house, his landing soft as cotton. The others fell in next to him. The leader of their pack. Brooklyn threw her arms around her boyfriend and kissed him. Their pointed canines scraped together and he bit her tongue drawing blood. He sucked the red from her mouth and she let him take as much as he wanted before she chomped down on his even harder and sucked.

"Damn, Brooklyn, all savage with it!"

He pulled back his beautiful brown face and she threaded her fingers through his carefree locs. She couldn't wait to suck his dick later and drink blood from that organ the way she slurped it from between his lips.

"Why do you waste time talking to her? Just dip," he complained.

"That's my mother. I still love her. I don't want her to worry. She'll do it anyway, but…still…"

"Just come live with us," he suggested.

The seduction in his voice was compelling enough to convince her. But she knew she couldn't. There was a blood price on her mother's head, and if Brooklyn left her, there would be vampires who felt it was open season on a known vampire killer. Her mother didn't poke silver weapons through chests, or make garlic bombs that obliterated bodies with sizzling explosions, but her quest for a blood cure was still an act of violence for Brooklyn's kind.

Popping the collar on her jacket, Brooklyn entwined her finger with Amir's as the others around them sniffed the air, already salivating at the thought of feeding all night on hard-headed stragglers who refused to follow lockdown rules.

"Let's bounce," Brooklyn said.

###

Dr. Karen Jenson watched her daughter leave with the full-bloods and she drew in a harsh breath. She didn't want to fight Brooklyn fearing her daughter would run off with the boy she was smitten with.

Boy.

Tuh. There was no telling how old Amir really was. Vampires could be centuries old and still look twenty. Twenty was the age Brooklyn said he was, but Karen wouldn't be surprised if that man had been around when Karen's first ancestors were dragged to America's shores. They were purebloods, and purebloods were ancient.

She couldn't stop her daughter.

The last time she physically tried to subdue her child, Brooklyn went berserk, fangs gnashing, nails out, and Karen found herself flying against their living room wall with back pain that lasted weeks. Brooklyn was apologetic and stayed home for three days after, but she was coming into her true nature and Karen was frightened for her. The serum she was in the process of perfecting and patenting only worked within a few days of being bitten. Brooklyn's blood and DNA was the closest Karen could get her hands on to experiment and create a cure. She no longer had samples of her daughter's father's blood.

Blade.

Karen closed her eyes.

Eighteen years. Eighteen years since she last saw the Daywalker.

Her baby Daddy.

Karen gave a bitter laugh inside her lonely house.

She thought of that man on and off for years, but she couldn't forget him completely when their child was giving her hell now. He made sure to ghost her permanently, which was for the best considering, but their child was growing into someone Karen couldn't control any longer. Couldn't protect. Especially from purebloods who knew exactly what she did inside her home. Karen had to admit. She needed her daughter. Not just because she loved her, but because her baby girl protected her. The child was fierce. Karen had witnessed in the past her daughter damn near turning into a vicious pitbull when full-bloods tried to take her out because they thought she was a random human. The fake teeth she forced her daughter to wear would fall out of her mouth and the girl would fight tooth and nail to battle anyone who tried to harm her mother.

Word got around.

The Black woman off Duquesne street in Culver City had a vampire offspring. Leave her be. Once Karen was aware that vampires knew her child existed, she forced her baby to stay active only at night. The last thing she needed was for full-bloods to know Brooklyn was the seed of the feared one. Blade.

And Blade is who she needed now.

Karen went into her bedroom and pulled out an old cell phone she owned for twenty years. She searched for a particular number.

Once she found it, she held the phone to her chest.

###

Cherry. Hints of smoky mushrooms. Marinated carne on a spit. Sweet juicy fat dripping from a grill and sizzling on dark coals. Mole seasoned with hot peppers.

Brooklyn couldn't quite describe the scent of fresh blood in the veins of humans. For years she tried to come up with human food favorites that even came close, and she still couldn't get it right. She just knew the odor made her clit thump in her panties and her blood thrum in her veins. If she had a dick, it would be brick hard whenever she went rogue on a blood hunt.

A social distancing party was happening on a rooftop penthouse in the nickel. Downtown L.A. had been gentrified and white invaded for decades, and finally, there were no more homeless, just the avant-garde and obscenely rich. Fifth avenue was now hoity-toity and Brooklyn took in the scene with Amir and the others.

Surgically-enhanced, coked-out, plastic-filled twenty-somethings partied hard. Hardcore Nouveux Industrial music played all around them and Brooklyn eyed a few victims that she was ready to pounce. She was hungry for blood, but the others in her pack wanted to toy with their food. They detected the virus in a few rulebreakers, so those bodies were ignored. Brooklyn had to suffer Amir flirting with a Black woman who was a lone chocolate chip in a sea of shitty humans who didn't give a shit about other humans contracting the virus. Watching her man lick his tongue on that woman's neck made her think of her mother. For once she understood her own selfish behavior coming home to her Mom without thinking of the consequences of spreading the virus to her. Just because she was immune, her mother could still die.

Brooklyn grabbed a glass of red wine and sipped, the liquid sour on her tongue. The meat bags surrounding her were so high and drunk, they didn't even blink when they saw her lupine teeth or the bloodlust in her uncovered eyes.

Amir was fingering the bitch now and the woman was looking Brooklyn dead in her eye, daring her to do something about it. A cruel sneer creased Brooklyn's lips. The hoe would taste so good on her tongue once Brooklyn ripped her throat out with her teeth, allowing the sugary-salty goodness of her lifeforce drip down her neck as Amir licked up every savory drop. Cumming on her man's slick fingers, the woman gave a haughty laugh and rolled her eyes at Brooklyn as she grabbed for Amir's protruding dick. The party was slowly transforming into an orgy, and Brooklyn moved over to the DJ and sipped the last of her wine. A blood moon was out high in the sky. How apropos Brooklyn thought as another white woman joined the Black one to suck on her man's erection that jutted out of his pants. Thick. Veiny. Hers.

The DJ reached down and fondled Brooklyn's breasts as he toked on some weed. He passed it to Brooklyn and she took two puffs, the THC doing nothing for her. The high she wanted was in the man's veins, and she could see it, like neon lights all through his skin. Pulsing. Wet. Delicious. Ambrosia in scarlet drippings.

"Ah fuck!"

Amir's groans drew her eyes back to him. Heads bobbing in his lap and a third woman kneeling before him as he spurt a thick nut all over their faces. He smeared his cum on their adoring lips and Brooklyn knew he was ready to replenish his precious vampire bodily fluids. They all were. She could smell the need in the pack as they hovered near her fucking and sucking men and women and others. The DJ had his dick out and fisted it. Brooklyn lifted her breasts, allowing the sheer top she wore to reveal her pert nipples.

"You have beautiful breasts, baby," the pink-faced man said. His face was pinched and his pale average erection was pink at the tip. She could see the bubble of his pre-cum sliding from his slit, and at that moment, Brooklyn was done. She reached up, gripping the shaft by the root.

"Yes, baby, play with this dick!"

His pale gray eyes were pretty. Too bad.

Brooklyn ripped the entire erect penis from his body, the bloody stump she left behind forcing a blood-curdling scream from the man's startled mouth. Brooklyn cackled and threw his member over the side of the roof twenty stories down. Shoving her face into his crotch, she lapped up the blood spurting her cheeks, baptizing her in a crimson flood of sustenance.

Screaming everywhere commenced. Brooklyn feasted along with the others, the shrill cries music to her ears until she heard screaming from her set. Why were full-bloods screaming? Pushing the DJ aside. Brooklyn wiped her lips with the back of her hand and stopped suddenly when she saw the scene before her.

Humans scattering, as well as her set.

Amir ran past her, glancing back he shouted to her before he leaped off the roof fifty feet to the next apartment rooftop.

"Brooklyn, run! That thing is here!"

Brooklyn smelled the incinerated bodies of her other friends in the confusion of crushing bodies herding on top of one other trying to escape. She jumped up on the ledge and made a powerful leap…

But—

-a powerful large hand gripped her throat, holding her body dangling above the side of the building. Looking down, Brooklyn saw a painful drop if she were let go. She wouldn't die, but she would be fucked up for a long time.

She writhed like a she-devil, clawing at the hands that held her. Her body was lifted away from the ledge and dropped back down onto the rooftop. A large weapon was aimed at her chest. She could still smell the burning of vampire flesh. Eyes darting about she saw ash and smoke from fallen comrades.

"Who the fuck are you?!"

The man pulled his shades off and he had a scowl on his face. And sharp vampire teeth.

"Blade. Your father."


	2. Character

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A small unplanned family reunion...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wanted to get another chapter up before I finish another Black Panther one-shot "Faded".

"Who are you  
When heavy weather is blowing?  
Where is your character, baby  
The one who keeps you going, going?

The one who keeps you going, going  
The one who keeps you going, going  
And going, and going, going…"

Van Hunt—"Character"

For a solitary moment, Blade felt for the first time in a long time the human sensation of fear.

Irritated by the chirping of his cell phone that sat near his hip, he tried to ignore it. Crossed-legged and focused on the odor of aromatic oils burning near his personal altar, Blade's lips grew tight, and he reached for the phone.

His assistant Kai knew better than to disturb him at that time if there was no emergency. Sliding his calloused fingers across the cell screen, he recognized the cell phone number that disturbed his meditation. It was a phone number he hadn't used or seen for over eighteen years, closer to nineteen now. A chill ran through him. A ripple of dread.

Karen.

Dr. Karen Jenson.

The woman he rescued from a hospital so long ago when he tracked down one of Deacon Frost's minions. She had been bitten by a vampire and instead of killing her on the spot or walking away to allow her the suffering of becoming a filthy shambling creature, not quite a bloodsucker and surely far from being human-like, he had reached down and pulled her into his arms. Threw her over seventy feet across the hospital roof while being shot at by police.

He had no idea how important she would become to him when he took her home with him to Whistler, his vampire hunter mentor. Her skills as a hematologist had helped him prolong the bloodthirst that forever lingered at the fringes of his existence. He still struggled with the bloodlust, but her creation of a more powerful serum kept him going for almost two decades.

Their parting had been…uncomfortable, to say the least.

Battling a vampire God, and also thrusting her in the middle of a feudal war between purebloods and converted vampires was not the stuff that created meaningful romantic relationships. It didn't. At first.

He turned down her offer to make him human again with her experimentations on vampire blood at a genetic level. He encouraged her to leave the city now that vampires knew who she was and what she was capable of doing. She refused.

The mistake was made then.

He ignored her for a few weeks but found himself drawn to her just to check up on her safety. Next came social visits where she would make dinner and a blood substitute that he could eat giving him some semblance of joining her for meals.

And then…

He let the call go to voicemail.

Closing his eyes, he tried to refocus on his breathing and calming his heartbeat. Why was it beating so fast?

Two times.

They only made love two times before he broke off a physical relationship. It fucked up the mental order of his life. He couldn't be a vampire hunter and have a woman. That was crazy. She agreed. No more dinners.

Eventually, no more check-ups until she arrived at his new hideout terrified and in tears.

Pregnant.

She was pregnant and wanted to abort. He agreed. She told him she would handle it and he offered to pay for everything. She declined.

Later, when she explained why she changed her mind, he could see that scientific mind of hers working overtime. Their child became an experiment. It angered him. He demanded that she get rid of it. She stayed away from him until the child was born.

Brooklyn.

That little squirming bundle looked normal and acted normal in the hospital when he saw her with her mother breastfeeding the very first time. Relief flooded his body and he made arrangements to help pay for the child's needs, but he would stay away. A human baby didn't need a vampire father coming around in the middle of a bloody and violent non-stop war.

"Karen."

His voice was firm when he called her back.

"Blade. I need to see you. I need your help. Brooklyn…she's…she's not well. She uh…she's like you and I can't…I can't handle her any longer."

The drive to Karen's place made Blade feel erratic emotionally. He would finally meet his daughter in a way that he hadn't imagined. He would also see Karen again under stressful conditions once more. He regretted sleeping with her.

The house was on a somewhat quiet street and he parked his '68 Dodge Charger in the driveway. She answered her door on the first knock and his eyes were taken aback at how young she still looked. Her face and body were exactly how he remembered it nineteen years previous. Despite the fact that she had survived her vampire attack and the transformative nature of vampirism, the trace elements of the viral bite had extended her life and youth. She was forty-nine and still looked thirty. Still fine too. He was glad he had his shades on because his eyes were too open.

"Blade."

Her voice sounded drained and her face had the strain of a mother at her wit's end.

"Come in."

He followed her into her living room and his eyes, nose, and ears went into overdrive. The girl wasn't there.

He took a seat in a winged back chair and she sat near him on a loveseat. The ponytail, relaxed jeans, and orange sweater she wore made her look like a teenager.

"Brooklyn?" he asked.

Taking off his shades, he stuffed them into the pocket of his black leather vest. Her eyes were startled when they gazed at him. His night vision had kicked in, so she was seeing the intense glow in his eyes.

"She left here against my wishes. She won't listen to me anymore or even do what I ask. She's hanging with a pack of vampires and going out every night—"

"What the fuck do you mean she's hanging with vampires—"

"—full-bloods, and I can't control her. She's super strong, and volatile—"

"—calling me this late in her life to tell me she is out there…with them—"

"Blade, just shut up and listen to me—"

"I told you not to have her!"

He jumped up and she cowered back from him. Fangs bared and face tight with anger, Blade turned away from her and gathered himself up.

"She likes being a vampire."

"Is she drinking blood?"

"Yes."

"Fuck!"

He sat back down and glared at her.

"She eats human food, but the last two years, she's been eating solid food less. I think her body is going through another change. It rejects the serum, and I'm scared that she will need to feed on blood permanently soon if I can't modify the serum for her…make it stronger, get her back to eating normal food."

"You wait to tell me this now."

"You didn't want to be part of her life, remember? We agreed to that—"

"When she was normal."

"Let's not fight about that now. She's out there during quarantine with those monsters and I need you to bring her back. I can sedate her and keep her under while I try some new treatments. She's just too powerful for me."

Karen reached behind her back and pulled out a pink and purple half-shirt.

"Her scent," Karen said.

Blade took it.

"She hangs around downtown a lot. People aren't following rules down there and she's taking advantage of that. Bring her here and I can handle the rest."

"Sure you can."

Karen rolled her eyes at him.

He took the shirt and stood up.

"Does she know anything about me?"

Karen shook her head.

Standing up she walked over to a fireplace mantle and pulled down a framed photo. Karen smiled brightly in the picture with her arm thrown around the shoulder of a young woman with a beautiful face with deep soulful brown eyes. The smile on her face was sly, full of cunning from what Blade could tell. Long dark braids and a very striking tattoo on her neck. A large white lotus flower. How odd. It was a similar lotus flower design that he had on the cloth he used for his altar.

This was his child.

"Be ready," he commanded.

He stormed out of the house.

Sniffing the shirt, the odor of his daughter stuck to him. The scent molecules had his DNA imprint on them and he wondered if she would know their kinship immediately once she caught his odor.

The charger rumbled to life and Blade texted Kai to let him know he would be back to the hideout late because of personal business.

###

Humans would always give in to hedonism no matter the occasion.

And rich people were going balls out during the pandemic.

It didn't take Blade long to locate where Brooklyn was. The smell of her permeated the elevator he rode in along with the more powerful stench of the purebloods she was with. There were nine of them with her. Five females and four males.

The Benelli M3 he carried rested against his waist hidden behind his long black leather coat. Rooftop access was easy once he got past security on the ground floor by disrupting their security feed.

The music playing was ear-splitting and obnoxious and Blade wasted no time getting to work the moment he burst through the rooftop double doors.

Vampires fed on helpless victims and the ones that weren't being bled dry cowered in corners too high and too freaked out to do more than just scream. Bodies moved when he swept through blasting vampires left and right.

Blade threw elbows, kicks, and punches to give the survivors who could still move time to escape.

Frightened humans tumbled over themselves to run past him and out through double doors, slipping on blood and carnage on their way out. He blasted bloodsuckers who ran, none of them brave enough to attack him back. A bright slash of crimson caught his eye by the roof ledge and he spotted his child with gore on her face and her sharp teeth snarling at his approach.

A tall imposing dark-brown skinned vampire ran and jumped off the roof and Brooklyn tried to follow him. Blade was faster and yoked her up, allowing her to dangle over the ledge before he pulled her back to safety. Her nails had elongated from the retractable sheaths that protected them under normal circumstances, and he was shocked by the ferocious face that he saw before him compared to the photo of the very pretty girl he saw earlier at Karen's house. He smelled his kinship on her and her nose crinkled and her confused dark golden eyes took him in with a mixture of fear and false bravado.

He pointed the Benelli at her chest.

"Who the fuck are you?!"

Her voice was sharp and so full of feigned confidence.

"Blade. Your father."

"Bullshit! My Daddy's dead!"

"Well, your Mama called a dead man to come get your little ass. Let's go."

He waved the weapon toward the door.

She took a step back toward the ledge again.

"Don't even try it, I'll blast your punk ass in midair."

The boom in his voice scared her. She hesitated. Her nails retracted and her lips closed up. If it weren't for the blood all over her face, she would look somewhat normal now. He jabbed the weapon in her chest.

"You can come with me, or end up crispy like your homies. Choose wisely little girl."

Her nostrils quivered. She was taking in his scent. Her eyes softened.

"You really my Dad?"

"Let's go."

She rolled her eyes and walked in the direction he wanted. When they reached the double-doors he handcuffed her hands behind her back. Grabbing her arm, he yanked her down the hall and toward the elevator. A trail of blood and victims who didn't survive littered the way.

"You ain't gotta be rough old man," she snapped.

Young pup had balls.

He shoved her inside the elevator and the ride down was quiet. He caught her staring at the fresh blood soaking the floor and the mirrored walls of the elevator. He could smell the rich enticing aroma that she salivated over. He pulled her away from the wall when he caught her licking a red-black clot that slid down near the call buttons.

She smirked and let her bloody tongue slither in and out of her mouth.

Dragging her two blocks he slammed her against the Charger. Opening the trunk he lifted her up and threw her in.

"Fuck you doing old man? Let me out of here!"

She kicked at the trunk with her feet after he shut it.

He pulled out his cell.

"On my way," he barked into the phone.

She kept kicking inside trunk.

Opening the back of the car once more, he took the butt end of his Benelli and struck her on the back of her head. She went out cold.

###

Fucking bastard.

Shaking her head in the back of the dark trunk, Brooklyn could feel the stinging knot swelling on the back of her head. The moment she was free, she was going to fuck this old nigga up with a quickness.

Killing her friends. Tying her up like some runaway slave. He was going to catch some serious hands. And her mother had a lot to answer for. This man was her father? The man that her friends warned her about. The Daywalker…

No wonder her mother made her go on a night cycle all those years ago. She really was his child since she could walk in the daylight too.

Fuck.

The boogie man she grew up with, the scary vampire myths her friends filled her with for the last two years was true. And it, the thing that should not be named according to Amir, was her Daddy. The fuck was her life?

The deep rumble of the car stopped.

She sniffed.

She was outside of her home.

The Daywalker stepped out of the Charger and left her in the car by herself.

Her mother's voice rang out and Brooklyn heard the stressors in her tone reaching a high-fevered pitch.

"Where is she?"

Footsteps.

"Blade?" Her mother said.

The trunk popped open. Brooklyn blinked and looked up at her mother.

"Oh my God, she's bleeding! Did you beat her?"

"That's from her. Drinking."

Blade reached down and lifted Brooklyn up like she weighed two pennies. He shoved her toward her mother and Karen touched the back of Brooklyn's head.

"He hit me with his gun!"

"I told you not to leave!"

Blade grabbed her right arm and jerked her through the front gate of the yard and into the house. He threw her onto the floor.

"Ow! Stop being so rough!" she shouted.

"Keep your voice down!" Karen hissed.

She touched Brooklyn's head bump. Brooklyn winced. Karen's eyes cut at Blade.

The man loomed over Brooklyn and when he took off his shades, she saw how intimidating he was. She now knew why the full-bloods feared him.

"Mommy, he killed my friends-"

"They weren't your friends—"

"Yes, they were! They're the only friends I had and he killed them. He shot them and they burned up…and the smell…and they turned into…into…"

As hard as she fought to be strong, the tears pricked at her eyes, then flowed freely. She bawled like she was a little kid again. Her mother helped her up to her feet as Brooklyn's legs wobbled.

"It's okay baby, I'll fix this," her mother whispered while stroking Brooklyn's hair.

Blade stood there. Foreboding. Smug.

Murderer.

Brooklyn snarled and charged him. One quick hop and she wrapped her legs around his waist and bit down deep into his neck, ripping out a chunk of Daywalker flesh.

Her mother screamed and her father fell with her on top of him.


	3. Sleep to Dream

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Some truths come out the hard way...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay folks,
> 
> I'm going to hop over to my Black Panther stuff for a minute to get some updates done for a couple of projects in that fandom. I'll be updating this book hopefully weekly. Doing my best to write faster and not worry about perfect drafts. These things get posted the moment I finish with no edits because I won't get anything written if I go back and check stuff.
> 
> See ya in the Blade world again soon!

"I tell you how I feel, but you don't care  
I say tell me the truth, but you don't dare  
You say love is a hell you cannot bear  
And I say gimme mine back and then go there, for all I care

I got my feet on the ground  
And I don't go to sleep to dream  
You got your head in the clouds  
You're not at all what you seem  
This mind, this body, and this voice cannot be stifled  
By your deviant ways  
So don't forget what I told you  
Don't come around, I got my own hell to raise.."

Fiona Apple—"Sleep to Dream"

"Brooklyn! Get off of him!"

Brooklyn felt her mother's hands pulling on the back of her arms, but she buried her teeth deeper into her father's throat. Blade's blood was a coppery dark gushing of heat flooding her mouth. A fist crashed against her right temple and a sharp prick of her mother's jet injector stung the back of her neck.

Brooklyn immediately felt her body tighten then relax as the sedative took a hold of her and made her dizzy then nauseous soon after. The muscles in her jaw grew lax and she fell to the side, her eyes unable to focus as her limbs betrayed her taking on paralysis. The concoction her mother cooked up this time didn't knock her out. Just shut her down. She could still hear and her vision stayed fuzzy. The sensation of falling through the floor subsided and her brain fought to gain control of her arms and legs without success.

Her lips twitched and she let the nausea wash over her again.

"Mommy-!"

"You're okay."

Brooklyn panicked.

"Mommy….I can't breathe!"

Her eyes tracked Blade digging into his coat pocket and the angle of her body changed. Her mother lifted her up. The inside of her chest was on fire and then just as quickly, she could breathe again with ragged gasps. She felt pressure on her back and then Blade lifted her from the floor and carried her to the couch. Blood still flowed from the wound she ripped into his throat, but she could see it was healing as the blood flow became a slight trickle.

She stared at the ceiling, and then Blade's face came into view staring down at her.

"Breathe," he said.

He took in a deep breath and she mimicked him until she had calmed down. She still couldn't move her limbs, but her vision had cleared up. Her mother still had the jet injector in her right hand along with two ready to load ampoules in her left. She sat them all on the armrest near Brooklyn's feet.

Blade pulled out a small curved knife from inside his coat as Karen checked her pulse.

"Feeling coming back?" Karen asked.

Brooklyn tried wiggling her toes and fingers. The feeling was returning. She lifted her neck up and Blade aimed the knife at her sternum.

"Blade," Karen warned.

"Just in case."

He took a seat on the wing back chair with his weapon resting on his right thigh.

Outside she could hear her pitbull Bootsy barking and scratching on the kitchen door. Karen jumped up and ran to the kitchen.

"Bootsy! Stop all that. It's okay."

Karen opened up the door before the dog scratched off all the paint. Rushing in like he meant business, Bootsy stopped when he saw Blade. His hackles went up and the low deep growling in the back of his throat filled the room.

"Sitcho ass down," Blade growled back and Bootsy stepped forward like he was ready to attack.

"C'mon, go lay down," Karen said tapping her left foot on the back of his hind legs.

He wouldn't back down.

"Bootsy. Basta. Heel."

Her dog ran to his bed next to the couch and sat on his haunches, the low growling still bubbling in his throat. His shiny black coat of fur making the light brown of his eyes look yellow and menacing.

"Good boy," Brooklyn said.

She leaned over the armrest and stroked his ears that sat upright on his head.

"Such a good boy," she murmured again as she glared at Blade.

Sitting up carefully, Brooklyn held her head with her left hand. She had a headache inside her skull from the drug and outside her head from the lump Blade gave her. Karen sat back next to her and put an arm around her shoulder.

"You know I hate drugging you, but you gave me no choice."

Brooklyn kept looking at her father.

So this was Daddy.

The anger swelled up fast within her.

"You lied to me. You said he died."

"I had to protect you," Karen said.

"I'm a vampire. He's a vampire. Protect me from what?"

Her body trembled. She didn't want to cry again, but her rage was seeping out in her voice, and when she was livid, she shed angry tears.

"So what happened? You fucked a vampire and then got embarrassed about it? Ashamed? Or did you rape her?"

She wrenched her eyes from her mother and studied her father's face.

Blade's eyes never wavered from hers.

Stoneface.

That's what he had.

She tried to see herself in him.

She thought she had her mother's lips, but clearly, her mouth was a smaller version of her father's. Her nose. Kinda like his. Mad dog stare. Check. Taste for blood. A given.

He was handsome. Crystal black melanin kissed his skin and she wondered if the man ever smiled. He had a sculptured body and checking him over let her see what her mother saw. A true alpha. Brooding. Forceful. Sinfully attractive.

Brooklyn let her eyes drop from his face. The question of why her overly strict and very conservative mother slept with this man answered easily. She shrugged her shoulder to get Karen's arm off of her. Her mother snitched on her and now her crew was shattered permanently. In two months, she would be nineteen and her very first meeting with Bog Poppa resulted in death and dismay. She didn't think he wiped out all of her friends. She knew for sure Amir escaped, the fear in his eyes bone-deep. Amir was the bravest man she knew, not afraid of anything in the world, and yet Blade had him scurrying away like a doomed rat fleeing an unforgiving predator. Yeah. A predator. Blade was no different than her or Amir. The bloodlust was there. She could smell the desire wafting off of him for the red liquid pumping in her mother's –-

Wait a minute.

Brooklyn's mother sat anxiously beside her, wanting so badly to stroke her braids again, and Blade's eyes were not really on Brooklyn at all, but on her mom. The subtle stare he gave was for Karen. Imperceptible to the human eye and nose, Brooklyn saw and smelled two things: Her father still had it bad for her mom. The arousal she smelled was a rich musky scent, very similar to how Amir smelled when they made love. What was worse, her own mother had the stench of human arousal on her. Their pheromones swirled around Brooklyn and she wanted to gag. She folded her hands in her lap.

"How come you stayed away from me?"

Her mother's back shot up straight and her lips pressed in tight.

"Well?" Brooklyn pushed, crossing her arms.

Karen touched Brooklyn's knee.

"Your father and I—"

"I didn't want you."

Brooklyn heard the words from his mouth and even though she didn't know this man, had no idea he existed until the previous two hours, could give two shits about what he was or who he was really….his blunt answer pressed tears from her lids. He had no desire to clean it up or apologize for his absence at all. She was an oops baby. An orgasm gone wrong.

"Brooklyn, listen…your father and I—"

"Nah, Mommy. Save it. You got stuck with a deadbeat—"

"I paid your mother every month. I still pay her every month to take care of you. Good money too. Don't get it twisted, little girl. You are provided for."

She cut her eyes at him again.

"You should've been here to help me. You don't know how messed up it is to live with her. You could've been teaching me how to be a vampire instead of me figuring stuff out on my own—"

"Like how to be a killer? You don't need me for that."

"What are you talking about, Blade?"

Karen's eyes darted between the two of them.

"A killer? Brooklyn just drinks—"

"So what!"

Brooklyn felt the pulse of her nails as they tried to shoot out, ready to claw his eyes out.

"I've killed people. Bad people. Not so nice people. Greedy people. I gotta eat. I'm supposed to starve because they're weak and on the bottom of the food chain?"

"Brooklyn, oh my God, please…"

"Please what?"

She cocked her head to the side, giving her mother an angry and very bitter once over.

"He never wanted me, and you can't teach me anything. I have spent my whole life…no, you have spent my whole life showing me how to live in fear. Hiding…always hiding, hiding everything about me. You're choking me! I can't even breathe without you trying to keep me hidden and locked up. You put me in a prison that you created. You shouldn't have fucked him if you couldn't handle a vampire baby. You should've aborted me, or killed me the moment you saw what I was! I hate my life with you. I hate you! I hate what you do to me because you are ashamed of me."

Karen flinched but refused to look away. Brooklyn let it all out.

"It's not fair! I can't help who I am, Mommy. You're killing me. Every day. I wish I could stand in the sun and burn up so I wouldn't have to deal with you anymore. I used to think about killing you…yeah…don't look shocked. I know you used to look at me like that when I was little, wondering if I would turn on you…"

She glared at Blade.

"…and you. You self-righteous asshole. You left me with a human mother who you knew could never raise me right. You coward. I hate both of you. You should've kept your dick in your pants and you…you should've kept your legs closed!"

Brooklyn lunged for her mother, fangs bared, and Blade leaped in front of Karen so inhumanely fast, shoving her off of the couch and shielding her from attack. He stood in the perfect position for Brooklyn to shoot the back of his neck with the injector full of sedative that she swiped from the armrest. The Daywalker stumbled to his knees, his arms flailing. Karen tried to catch him as he fell, and Bootsy charged the Daywalker sinking his teeth through his coat and into the man's thigh tugging hard.

Brooklyn made a mad dash out of the front door, her legs pumping furiously, adrenaline flowing through her. She needed to get to the lair and find out who was still left.

One thing she knew for sure. She couldn't let Amir find out about Blade. Cool heads would be needed to plan big.

The Daywalker had to be taken down.

###

Blade rubbed the back of his neck as Karen paced the living room floor.

"Why couldn't you just tell her our relationship was just complicated? Or just let me explain—"

"She needed to hear the truth."

Blade glanced over on the floor. The pitbull sat quietly on its pallet. No more growling came from it, just a wary stare. Showing his own deadly fangs made the dog stand down from Blade fast.

"It was cruel."

"The truth often is."

He stood up. There was a rip in his leather pants where the pit had chomped down on him.

"I did my best."

Karen's voice was a near whisper. Her sad eyes rested on his face.

"Where does she go when she runs off?"

"She has a friend that used to live near Fairfax, but she moved away."

"No one around here?"

"Our next-door neighbor had a son she was close with. He passed away last year."

He waited. But she kept quiet.

"So she was telling the truth. No friends."

"She socializes a lot online. We could check her laptop."

"You check her laptop. I need to get back to work."

"Wait, you're not going to look for her?"

"Where? You clearly don't have a grasp of what she does out there or who she hangs with."

Karen's eyes welled up. Blade exhaled.

"Give me the name of her girlfriend. Last known address. I'll check it out. I'll cruise around and try to track her. Hopefully, she'll cool off and come back here."

"I hope so. How is your neck?"

Her soft fingers pressed into the last traces of his wound and the scent of her skin and her hair so close to his face made him light-headed. Citrus and something sugary sweet. He closed his eyes when he also took in the odor of the blood that ran beneath her sweet-smelling flesh. All the time that had gone by and she could still stir up deep feelings. Human feelings. He lingered close to her until it grew a bit awkward for him. Especially when he remained silent.

"Blade?"

"The neck is fine. Leg too."

Fuck.

He needed to get away from her.

"Please find her."

"I'll do what I can."

"She's really killed people?"

"Will you feel safe around her if she does come back?"

"She's my daughter—"

"That's not what I asked. Has she attacked you before?"

"Once, but she just knocked me into the wall because I tried to stop her from leaving. She doesn't know her own strength."

"Stop making excuses for her."

Blade slipped on his shades and Karen followed him out of the front door. The pitbull followed them out and ran back and forth in the front yard before dashing off to the back of the house.

"I'll call you," he said.

"I'll let you know if she comes back."

"Legally, she doesn't have to."

She frowned and shoved her hands into the pockets of her jeans.

He left her standing there and drove around the corner, circling the block once, then parking around the corner from Karen's house.

Stepping out of the Charger, he whistled and waited about a minute.

The heavy pants and clicking of nails on cement greeted him and Bootsy the pitbull jumped on top of the hood of his car.

"Are you out of your goddamned mind?!" Blade scolded.

The dog whined, the sound not matching the muscular build of its impressive canine body.

"Talk to me," Blade said with impatience.

Bootsy turned his massive head left and right, taking in the surroundings before his body trembled. The muscles and bones beneath his coat shifted unnaturally and Blade watched the pit morph into a naked Black human male on his hood.

"I'm not hurting your car, man. Ease up," Bootsy said.

Dark mischievous basset hound-like eyes twinkled back at Blade, as Bootsy stroked the scraggly beard on his attractive face.

Blade balled his right hand into a fist and struck Bootsy in the eye.

"OW! Damn, man, what in the negro hell?"

Bootsy cradled his left eye.

"That's for ripping a hole through my coat and pants. Italian-fucking-leather. Made in one tiny shop outside Milano. Tailor-made. Hand-stitched by an old man who can barely see anymore."

"Aight nigga, damn. I'm not necessarily swimming in coinage as you can see—"

"Get yo naked ass off my car."

Bootsy dropped down from the hood and leaned against the side. He tugged on the black and silver-studded dog collar around his neck.

"Cover your nuts man," Blade said frowning.

"Cuz I'm free, free ballin," Bootsy sang shaking his junk.

"You must want to get punched again. C'mon. Stop wasting time. Where is she?"

"I dunno—"

"See, the point of me placing you here with them all these years is for you to watch after her. The fuck kind of familiar are you if you can't watch your charge?"

"Okay, I don't know if you remember, but my job is to watch Brooklyn and Karen at the homestead—"

"She's running the streets with full-bloods."

"I know—"

"You couldn't tell me that?"

"I knew she was running the streets, but I didn't know about the vampires."

"You could've followed her."

"Then who watches over Karen?"

"Tell me about her friend. The girl over on Fairfax."

"Fauna. Fauna Morana . Nice girl. She used to come to the house a lot. She worked a part-time job with Brooklyn on Hollywood Blvd. A goth/alternative clothing store. Down the street from the Egyptian. Dassit. Family used to live in an apartment near an Ethiopian restaurant."

"I'm going to check her out. Stay close to the house but do some surveillance tonight. Hit me up if she returns. Or doesn't."

"Bet."

Bootsy's eyes were full of concern.

"She's in big trouble, huh?"

"She's with a brutal bunch."

Bootsy's eyes held his longer.

"What?"

"How was it?" Bootsy asked.

"I don't have time—"

"Fuck man. How did it feel to meet your daughter?"

Blade opened the driver's side door of his car and slid behind the wheel.

"She's pretty badass, huh?" Bootsy said.

Blade started up the Charger. The deep growl of the engine interrupted the quiet of the street.

"Get on it," Blade said.

He sped off into the night.

Badass indeed.


	4. Love Hangover

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> More trouble finds Brooklyn...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Humming along....

"If there's a cure for this  
I don't want it  
I don't want it  
If there's a remedy  
I'll run from it  
From it

Think about it all the time  
Never let it out of my mind  
'Cause I love you…"

Diana Ross – "Love Hangover"

Brooklyn dropped down from the branches of the old Moreton Bay fig tree that ripped up part of the sidewalk on Adams Ave. The street was quiet, an occasional car driving around in the distance. The lamppost on the corner was a dirty yellow glow and did nothing to illuminate anything or anyone that could be hidden in the shadows. It didn't matter though because her eyes could make out anything trying to sneak up on her. She hid inside the top of the tree canopy for a good hour before she felt it was safe to approach the well-kept old Victorian that was her crew's lair.

In the blink of an eye, Brooklyn was on the porch and scratching the solid mahogany wood of the front door. Her stomach churned and when no one answered her initial scratching, she tried to think of where to go for the night. Her mother's immediate family lived back east and in Chicago, and the friends Karen did have in the city were not close to her, and Brooklyn didn't feel comfortable being around other humans in the state she was in.

Turning her head to check the street once more, she heard faint footsteps inside.

"Brooklyn?"

"I'm by myself."

The door opened and Brooklyn rushed in.

Tionne was draped in a clean black hoodie and the glow in her tight almond eyes were filled with tears. Brooklyn threw her arms around her and she could feel the shudder in Tionne's lean body.

"Who else is here?" Brooklyn asked.

Tionne wiped her eyes and Brooklyn heard footsteps on the stairs. Bailey's slender frame came into view, her wavy hair tucked into two sloppy buns on her head. Her big eyes glinted with a questioning stare.

"It's just the two of us," Tionne said, "Fauna went out to try and find the others with the car."

Bailey's hand clutched at her mouth.

"Are we the only ones that thing didn't kill?" Bailey asked, her soft voice trembling.

"I saw Amir get away—"

"He was injured," Tionne said.

"Where?" Brooklyn asked, grabbing Tionne's arms.

"He was struck in the side with a light—"

"It was some kind of UV light. He was burned bad," Bailey said.

Amir looked well enough to make the leap off of the roof. But there was the possibility his wound spread and he didn't have the strength to make it to their side of town.

"Maybe he found a safe house for the night," Brooklyn encouraged.

"That Daywalker was so fast…I saw Blaise and Marco get cut down like they were…they just burned and crumbled…" Bailey said. She plopped down on the bottom step of the stairs and covered her face.

"It almost got me but Amir pushed me out of the way, and he got slashed," Tionne said.

Brooklyn felt weary, exhaustion finally catching up to her once her adrenaline dissipated.

"Let's go upstairs. Get some sleep. The others will show up if they survived and we can regroup then," Brooklyn suggested.

She really wanted to go out and hunt for Amir, but she was scared that Blade was out there looking for her. She couldn't take the chance of leading him back to their lair.

She helped Bailey up to her feet. They were just as exhausted as she was. The alarm system announced a presence.

A knock at the front door froze them all.

The scent outside was pungent. Aggressive.

Not Amir.

Another vampire. Pureblood.

Another disturbing odor was with the vampire. Another species. A Chivo Brujo.

"Don't answer it," Bailey pleaded.

"They know we are here," Brooklyn said.

Tionne released her claws and Brooklyn followed suit. Bailey inched her way up the steps, her timid personality moving her feet. She would fight if she needed to, but she was always ready to retreat from harm.

"They wouldn't knock if they wanted trouble," Brooklyn said.

Tionne puffed out her chest and flung the door open.

Brooklyn held her breath until she saw that it was an associate of Amir's who was currently on the outs with him.

Selwyn Izel. An ever-ready powder-keg of a vampire from Boyle Heights.

Close-cropped black hair. Goatee. Tats on his face and neck. Comfy street gear. Seductive bright eyes that looked down at Tionne.

"Your man here?" Selwyn growled.

Three more equally menacing vampires swooped in behind him as Selwyn took a step forward, his feet touching the threshold. East L.A. was definitely trying to represent. Nothing like a hungry crew of vatos locos at the front door.

Tionne didn't answer and Selwyn tilted his head. Brooklyn strode forward and placed herself next to Tionne creating a buffer at the door.

"What do you want?"

Selwyn's eyes peeled away from Tionne and grew enticing when he took in her form.

"Brooklyn, you staying here now?"

Selwyn's husky voice made Brooklyn's stomach flutter with excitement and not fear. Seeing her, he strode into the house as if he were invited in. His boys stayed outside. Brooklyn's eyes looked beyond them and she caught the ominous glow of red orbs in the shadow of the tree across the way. There were two Chivo Brujos watching the house.

"Why are you here, Selwyn?"

He pushed up on her after closing the door, much too comfortable with her body, and that was her fault for not moving away from him fast enough. She tiptoed back from him and he followed her. Her neck raised up so that she could look deep into his eyes.

"Need to see Amir."

"He's not here."

"Then I'll wait."

Brooklyn glanced over at Tionne and Bailey. She nodded her head upwards. The two women disappeared to the second floor of the three-story house.

"It's just the three of you here, huh?"

His breath was warm and strangely sweet-smelling. His body was so close to hers that it made Brooklyn long for Amir. She needed her man's strength and reassurance. She looked away from Selwyn and he cupped her chin and pulled her face back toward him.

"What's wrong?"

"We were attacked tonight."

"By who?"

Selwyn looked her over like he was ready to throw hands.

"The Daywalker."

Selwyn's pupils jumped and his nictitating membrane blinked across covering the cornea. He stepped away from her.

"Why would the Daywalker fuck with your set? Out in the open?"

She shrugged.

"Where?"

"The nickel. Foray building."

"Tracking you?"

"I don't know. Probably not. We scattered."

"This sounds like some Amir bullshit. Hope you're not staying here, Brooklyn. We got shit to handle with him, and it's not pretty."

"That the reason why you have the red eyes with you?"

"My set isn't the only one with beef."

His eyes drifted up and down her body. He quirked his lips and smiled at her. His fangs made him more handsome.

"You sure you want to stay with that fool?"

"Selwyn, shit is crazy right now—"

"Just saying, we had a good thing once until—"

"Once, Selwyn. And that was before Amir, so…."

"Brooklyn, Devra is on the phone! She's okay!"

Tionne held a cell phone against her chest peering down at Brooklyn from the middle of the stairs.

The alarm went off again and the front door flew open. Fauna ran in, her eyes wide and agitated as she tried to catch her breath.

"I didn't see anyone out there and they aren't at the regular safe houses," Fauna blurted out.

Brooklyn stared at her closest friend in the whole world. Short voluptuous body, dark brown skin that always smelled of cocoa butter or apricots, Fauna was a dreamy concoction of around the way girl mixed with heavenly Goddess on earth realness. Two curved sable horns grew from her head giving her dark copper twists a regal look as they fell down past her shoulders. She turned her horned head toward Selwyn and her eyes narrowed for a moment. But then she ran over to Brooklyn and hugged her.

"I'm so glad you're safe!" Fauna whispered squeezing Brooklyn tight against her large bosom.

Selwyn moved away from Fauna, but his eyes held Brooklyn's.

"We'll come back another time. Let Amir know we need to settle up soon."

Brooklyn nodded. Fauna went to Tionne and took the cell from her.

"Can I speak to you outside?" Selwyn asked.

Brooklyn followed him out onto the porch. The three other vampires that were with him were down on the sidewalk leaning against the old brown Chevy Impala they rode in. Selwyn checked the watch on his arm. It was three hours until dawn.

"You should get away from them, Brooklyn."

"Why don't you just leave us alone?"

"Amir needs to handle his business better. Fucking Daywalker? Shit. Choose me, Brooklyn. Bring Fauna with you. Get away from this set. Shit is about to get heavy. The fact that he's keeping you in the dark…that's trouble chica. I would never do that to you. Don't say I didn't warn you."

Selwyn reached out and stroked her cheek.

"Who knows, maybe he won't make it back here. Problem solved."

Brooklyn grabbed his hand hard and squeezed, digging her nails into his skin before shoving it away. In her peripheral, she caught the red eyes watching her. Watching the house. Selwyn smiled; his fangs more menacing as he moved close to her again.

"I can smell you, girl. You still feeling me."

"Leave, Selwyn. Before I hurt you."

"I like it when you hurt me. You know that. Watch yourself, chica. I'll see you again soon."

Selwyn blew her a kiss and left the porch.

His Impala roared to life and she watched him drive off with his boys. Across the street, she saw two massive lumbering bodies with horns the width of Texas longhorns and the thickness of both of her thighs put together move past the trees. She held her breath hoping they didn't come toward the house. They looked like giant skinned goats walking on two hooved feet. One turned its primeval head in her direction and their red eyes winked out. Shit. Brooklyn exhaled and clutched at her stomach once they were gone.

"He's trouble," Fauna said, joining her on the porch.

Brooklyn pushed back her braids and kept her eyes on the street. She touched her cheek and could still feel the ghost of Selwyn's fingers on her skin.

"You cold?" Fauna asked.

The slight trembles were not from the cool air caressing her skin. It was the power Selwyn had on her. He was right. She was aroused by him. Excited by his boldness. But he was unpredictable. Possessive. Mean. The breach in his friendship with Amir stemmed from Selwyn being salty that Brooklyn chose Amir over him. Every time he saw her, he made sure to remind her that she could change her mind at any time. She wasn't sure if he really wanted her or if he just wanted to take something away from Amir.

"Let's get inside," Fauna said.

Brooklyn followed her and they reset the alarm system for the house.

"Devra is going to stay at the Rey. She's uninjured."

"She hear from Amir?"

"No."

They carried themselves to the third floor and climbed up a narrow set of stairs that led to Amir's attic bedroom. A large ornate bed made from ancient teak wood carved with flying swallows in the posts sat in the middle of the room.

Brooklyn pulled off her jacket and kicked off her shoes and socks. They both stripped out of their clothes and underwear and crawled under the cool mulberry sheets and thick red duvet.

"Brooklyn…"

Bailey's voice buffeted up from the stairs.

"Yes?" Brooklyn answered.

"Can we come up?"

"Yes."

Both Bailey and Tionne scrambled up the last few steps and slipped their nude bodies under the covers with them. Brooklyn rested her head on Fauna's breasts and she felt Bailey's hand slip around her own waist as they all snuggled together in the pitch-black attic. Brooklyn swept her left hand on Fauna's breast as her fingers played with her friend's nipple for comfort. Fauna stroked her braids and kissed her forehead.

"Don't worry so much. Amir can handle anything," Fauna said with a soothing voice.

The smell of her skin lulled Brooklyn into a state of ease and comfort. Fauna's kind always did that to humans. There was something about their scent, their voices, their calm demeanor that brought about feelings of well-being. Desire. Humans liked that about the Adyx—Fauna's people—and liked having them around. Typically secretive, few select humans interacted with them and even fewer knew what they truly were. Up until the pandemic, Fauna kept her horns wrapped up in elaborate braids or headwraps. But now that the streets were clear from human traffic, Fauna allowed her true self to be revealed.

"What if he was injured beyond self-healing-?"

"Shhh. Rest."

Brooklyn had pulled apart her cell phone to keep it from being traced by Blade. She was scared to put it back together to check for calls. No one else in the house received calls from Amir. She tugged on Fauna's nipple. Pinched it. Fauna's scent was delectable and her human side was drifting under her spell.

"Sleep…sleep…" Fauna cooed in her ear.

Brooklyn's eyelids drooped. She brushed her lips across the erect nipple she played with, sliding her wet tongue across Fauna's wide areola. Drifting, still drifting…even with the worry that battled to keep her awake with tension. It still tightened her limbs.

Sweet Fauna.

They had been more than friends at one time, but their relationship settled into a pleasing support system. Two odd ducks not fitting among swans, but lucky enough to find each other online. They were sisters. Sometimes lovers. Each a cheerleader for the other. Nerdy Black young women trying to find their way. They accepted their differences and used each other as a shield from the outside world that saw them as freaks. Dangerous freaks of nature.

But there were so many freaks in the world.

Like those Chivo Brujos that ran with Selwyn. Brooklyn had never seen one herself until that night, but she had heard stories from Amir. Nasty pieces of work.

Drifting once more.

A thud on the roof.

Brooklyn broke away from Fauna.

The soft deep breathing of Bailey and Tionne filled the room. She stood up and listened to the sound of a body scrambling to the sidewall and slithering down. The alarm system announced entry and she heard heavy footsteps drag up the stairs. In the darkness, her eyes saw Amir walk into the space and she ran to him, jumping up into his arms. She burst into tears, the relief draining from her body through her eyes.

He kissed her face and held her up. Her hands cradled the back of his head and she pressed her forehead against his.

"Are you okay?"

"I'm fine—"

"You didn't call anyone—"

"My phone fell out of my pants when I jumped off the roof. I hid with Sudan's people. Let them know that the streets were hot. Are you okay?"

"I'm fine, I'm fine. Devra is hiding at Rey's. We're the only ones left."

Amir's eyes swept to his bed.

"Slumber party?"

His smile lit up his entire regal face and Brooklyn burst into tears once more.

"I promise you, I'm fine—" he murmured into her ear as he nuzzled the outer shell.

She shook her head.

The secret she carried deep within hurt her to the core. Her own blood was responsible for tearing apart Amir's family. All because of her.

"It took out all the men first," Amir whispered.

He dropped her down to her feet.

"Selwyn was here. He wasn't alone. What's going on?"

"I'm tired Brooklyn—"

"He had the red eyes with him. Two of them. I finally saw what they look like…"

Amir shucked off his clothes. He smelled of sweat, clove cigarettes, and fear. What had he done?

He nuzzled her neck and nipped at her skin. She sought out his lips and he allowed her to lead with her tongue in his mouth. Walking her over to the bed, Amir dropped her onto the bottom of it and crawled on top of her. She opened her legs for him and wrapped them around his waist. They held each other in that position until she felt the wetness from his eyes drop down onto her.

"All my brothers and Patra are gone. Just like that," he lamented.

She ran a hand over his hair.

"I knew the stories. Heard the rumors. It was so fast, so fucking fast."

"Sleep," she whispered.

"I can't."

She wished Fauna could help him. But vampires, full-bloods, their bodies couldn't enjoy the gifts of what her friend could do.

She held Amir in her arms on his bed with their remaining family. She hoped Devra was comfortable away from them and her mind drifted back to Blade.

He had to pay for this.

Soon.


	5. When We're Dancing Close and Slow

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Brooklyn remembers what it was like to have the love of two things in her life...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I tried to go write some more Black Panther stuff, but Brooklyn won't leave me alone...

"When we're dancing close and slow  
I never want to let you go, no no  
I feel your warm embrace  
The softness of your face  
Tell me baby, are we here alone?"

Prince—"When We're Dancing Close and Slow"

Two Years Ago…

"C'mon lazy bones."

Brooklyn stared at her ridiculous pitbull as he lounged on an old chair that her mother allowed him to have all for himself. Eyes half-closed, the dog ignored her.

"I know you hear me."

Bootsy rolled over on his back and gave a loud canine huff and Brooklyn strapped her guitar case around her shoulder.

"Okay, no pizza for you," she sighed heading toward the front door.

Bootsy perked up and bounded down from the chair, and jumped around her.

"Oh, so now you can do what I want when I mention food?"

She reached down and scratched the back of his ears.

"Heading over to Anderson's?" Karen asked.

Her mother swept into the room holding one of her medical journals. A half-used pencil was stuck behind her left ear. Karen worked longer hours at the new medical center in Santa Monica, but she still did her own blood research at home. She was always trying to find a cure or some kind of way to control Brooklyn's bloodline.

"Yeah. Practice a little bit," Brooklyn said stroking her guitar case.

"Don't stay too long, Mrs. Bushida said he gets exhausted more and he won't say anything because he doesn't want to stop what he's doing."

"I know, Mom. I'll stay an hour then see how he feels."

"How has he been since he's been back?"

"Up and down."

"I feel so bad for him."

"He'll beat it again."

"I hope so. Are his treatments going well?"

"His last chemo trip was last week."

"Oh good. Tell him I said hello. He looked good yesterday."

"You saw him?"

"He was sitting on their lawn. It was early. You were still asleep."

Brooklyn felt hopeful. Anderson had been her friend and neighbor for five years. He was two years older than her, and when she first moved with her mother to Culver City, Anderson had just gone into remission the first time for his leukemia. She watched his bald head grow thick glossy black hair over the years, and now, it was falling out in small clumps again. She cut cool-looking geometric patterns on the sides of his hair for him where it was beginning to get patchy.

She had offered to make a pact with him to cut all her hair off when he went bald again, but he suggested that she learn to play the guitar instead so she could play with him. His lessons were fun and she actually picked up learning fast. She mainly played by ear. When her mother saw that she was serious about it, Karen bought her a brand-new acoustic guitar.

"Have fun," Karen called to her.

"We're going to have pizza, so don't save me any dinner."

"Still has that appetite. That's good."

Brooklyn nodded but hesitated at the door.

Karen walked over to her.

"What is it?"

"Do you think he can beat it? For real? His mom said you gave her a lot of good treatment options, but Anderson sometimes acts…I dunno…like he doesn't care anymore."

"He's probably depressed. It's hard having to leave Stanford mid-term because of an illness. Is he still doing his online classes?"

"Mrs. Bushida didn't tell you? He took a leave of absence for the rest of the year."

"She didn't mention that. I try not to ask too much because she gets anxious when we talk about his education."

"Thanks for giving her information about trial testing and alternative treatments."

"He's a nice young man and a good friend to you…oh, Brooklyn, honey…don't cry…"

Brooklyn wiped her eyelids.

"I just worry about him so much. Like I'm nervous to see him right now. I try to stay positive, but when he gets weak, or if he has to throw up, I don't know what to say. It seems so…so fake for me to say he'll be okay when no one knows what will happen. I'm so scared for him."

She wiped her eyes again.

"Just be your usual funny self."

Karen kissed her forehead.

"Okay, I will. See ya."

"Maybe you should leave Bootsy here—"

Bootsy did his usual whiny dog moans and it made them laugh.

"I swear this dog can understand what we say about him," Karen said.

"Anderson likes having him there. It keeps things normal for him."

"Okay. Take him. Um…"

Karen pointed to Brooklyn's mouth.

"I didn't forget."

Brooklyn slipped on the fake braces to cover her teeth.

Karen watched Brooklyn walk over to the house next door with Bootsy.

She rang the doorbell and Mr. Bushida answered.

"Hello, right on time," he said.

The house already smelled like pepperoni and garlic from the pizza.

Brooklyn stepped in and immediately took off her sneakers and left them near the other shoes lined up at the front door. A pair of guest silk slippers sat unused and she slipped her socked feet in them and stepped further into the house.

"Hungry?" he asked.

"In a little bit," she said.

"Come get some slices when you're ready," he said.

Mr. Bushida was an older version of his son, and Brooklyn tried to imagine Anderson having sexy gray streaks of hair at his temples and laugh lines at his eyes. When he got older…

Brooklyn waved to Mrs. Bushida who was talking on a landline in the dining room. Making her way to the back of the house with Bootsy at her heels, Brooklyn knocked on the bright red door that was shut with a giant sticker of the animated cartoon Metalocalypse stuck in the middle of it. She knocked once.

"Come in!"

She stepped into Anderson's compulsively neat room and found him on the edge of his bed, his electric guitar in his hand. He strummed the strings without it plugged in so all she heard was the soft springy sound it made.

"Bootsy!" he called out.

The pit jumped on his double bed and nudged Anderson's arm forcing him to stroke his ears.

"So needy for attention," Anderson cooed to the dog.

He looked good.

There was color in his face, and his pierced lips looked moist and not cracked as they had been four days ago. Shirtless, she peeped his chest and abs. His weight was holding up, his lean muscular frame still the same. Fingers still strumming his guitar, the blue tattoos he put on four of his fingers on his right hand looked vivid. He got them for her. B-A-F-F. Brooklyn, Anderson, Friends, Forever. His girlfriend Karyn at Stanford had been livid when she saw them. Brooklyn had nearly swooned the first time he showed them to her.

She had gone through a bad patch with Anderson when he decided to bypass UCLA and leave town for Stanford. The crush she had on him since sixth grade had blossomed into a full one-sided and unrequited love. She grew deeply depressed when he told her that he wanted to have a change and get away from his parents. They were sweet and supportive, but smothering since he was an only child like her. She was devastated and became a moody, pouty mess around him.

When he returned home for his first Christmas holiday away from school, he rushed over to her house and showed her the tattoos. He spent their reunion gushing over his girlfriend and his classes, and Brooklyn was miserable. Became moody and pouty again.

Playing Watch Tower Saga together on his game console, Anderson finally noticed her dramatic attitude shift and confronted her about it while they laid on his bed together. She was ready to give him a full cuss out about his girlfriend and her feelings when her fake braces fell off from her top teeth. She had been pressing her tongue so hard on them while he waxed on and on about Karyn, that she had loosened them.

He didn't scream or freak out. Just stared at her mouth for a very long time.

He reached for her bottom teeth and removed the fake fronts there.

All the minutes he sat there staring at her felt like hours. All she could think of was the authorities coming to her mother's house to have her removed and put into some secret government killing zone.

"Why didn't you tell me?" he finally said.

She grew teary-eyed.

"Please don't tell…"

"I won't."

He wiped her eyes for her and kissed her forehead.

"Your secret will stay with me always," he whispered.

She waited for the inevitable interrogation, but he just unpaused their game and acted like it was just a normal thing to find out his neighbor was one of those bloodsucking creatures. He never once asked how she ate or who she ate, or how she was able to walk around in the daytime, unlike other vampires. But then she had to remind herself. Most humans didn't know about vampires being real and much of the world downplayed their existence to keep the populations ignorant. She herself only knew what her mother told her, and that wasn't much. She was kept in the dark and isolated on purpose. Anderson was an acceptable friend because he lived next door and her mother could keep tabs on her.

Bootsy heard Mr. Bushida call him and Anderson got up from his bed and opened the door to let the pit go get his slice of pizza.

"Take those off," Anderson said.

Brooklyn popped out her fake braces and opened up her guitar case. She rolled his computer chair over by the bed and placed her guitar tuner on the headstock of her guitar. Anderson switched out his electric guitar for his own acoustic resting in the corner of his room on its stand. Sitting in front of her, they began to play basic notes together to warm up. He nodded his head and smiled at her and she couldn't help but beam back at him. He stopped playing and reached out for her face, touching her cheek.

"I wish you would smile more like that around me," he said.

"I do."

"Not since the leukemia came back."

She couldn't deny that.

"You worry about me a lot, don't you?"

She nodded and kept strumming her guitar trying to focus on not crying again.

"Let's go eat," he said.

They shared pizza with his parents in the den and Brooklyn kept checking for Anderson's energy levels. He was in good spirits and his parents were pleased. His pouty cupid bow lips had her feeling some kinda way and after they ate, she thought it was prudent to leave so as not to have him overexert himself.

She took Bootsy outside to pee, and Anderson asked that she stay longer. She dumped her dog inside her own yard so he could run around and shit the pizza he ate, and returned to Anderson's room as his parents stayed in the den watching television.

Picking up on their guitar practice, Anderson challenged her to play a song on her own that she had been practicing for weeks. She grew shy about it.

"I'm the only one here, so if you mess up, it's no big deal," he chided.

He pulled out his laptop and set it on the bed in front of her pulling up the chords she needed. It took her a minute to muster up the courage and she plucked out the beginning of her favorite old school singer, Prince's music. The song was something her mother played sometimes when she was at home in her room after a long day of work.

Anderson played it with her and their version of "When We're Dancing Close and Slow" wasn't that bad. In fact, it was good. He let her finish playing it alone.

"Do it again," he said sounding impressed. He took out his cell.

"Don't videotape me—"

"I'm just recording so you can hear how you sound later. Go ahead. Play."

She played it straight through a couple of times, and by the third time, she felt comfortable enough to try and sing with it.

Anderson's eyes looked so sweet watching her, the last thick strands of his hair piled high up on his head with a slick flourish. The piercing on his right eyebrow made his eyes look playful as the smirk on his lips showed her how proud he was of her playing. She messed up one note at the end as she tried to hum to her own playing and ended up strumming the strings really fast.

"Ugh, I almost got through without messing up—"

Whoa.

His lips were warm on top of hers and the cool metal of his piercings tasted like magic to her. Anderson's right hand cupped her chin and he licked the seam of her mouth forcing her to open up for him. She felt light-headed and could barely focus on his kisses because her mind couldn't put together what was happening. She had dreamed about kissing him for years, cried about it when she saw pictures of him with his girl at Stanford puckered up all the time, and now that it was happening to her, it came off like an out of body experience. Her first kiss and she couldn't even concentrate on the sensations to enjoy it. He pulled away and she felt the watering of her mouth and the taste of blood.

"I'm sorry!" she yelped, wiping his lip where she had bit him.

"Don't be, you weren't ready for me—"

She pounced on him, being careful to watch how she used her mouth with him around her teeth. Her guitar fell to the floor with a loud clang and he pulled her onto his lap.

Their necks moved in tandem and he slowed it all the way down before pulling away from her and staring into her eyes.

"I couldn't help myself…your playing and then singing…I just…I wanted to kiss you. I've always wanted to kiss you…"

The soft murmurings of his voice lulled her into a sense of deep peace. She touched his lip again, and the blood smell was tantalizing. She pushed back from him.

"You can have it if you want it," he said.

"I just want you," she said.

There was no sense beating around the bush.

His eyes cast down from her face.

"I should've stayed here," he said.

"Yeah, you should've," she chastised.

That smirk crawled on his face again.

He rolled back on the bed with her and they took their time kissing. She could finally enjoy the moment fully and decided that her first kiss was at that moment, not the last one when she felt out of sorts. It was everything she imagined. Soft. Wet. Playful. Stimulating. She felt her panties sticking to her folds and could smell her own arousal. He couldn't.

"You two want more pizza?" Mrs. Bushida called out from behind the bedroom door.

Brooklyn jumped away from Anderson and shifted her body on the far side of the bed. He grabbed his guitar and placed it against his waist, but not before she could see the tent pitched inside his jeans.

"No thanks, we're good," he called out.

"Okay. We'll leave it out for you."

They heard her feet shuffle away on the hardwood floor and they both giggled when they thought it was safe.

"I should go. You're probably worn out by now," she said.

He pushed her back down.

"You let me decide when I'm tired, okay?"

He looked energized.

"Okay."

Turning his wall screen TV to a streaming channel, he put on an anime they both liked and they cuddled together on his bed, their guitar practice now forgotten. His body was warm and she tried to adjust her head so she could watch the TV better.

"Hold on," he said.

He fixed the pillows behind him so that he could lay back on them comfortably, but made her sit between his legs so that she could lay her head back on his chest. Wearing only a tight t-shirt and some knee-length shorts, she felt very intimate lying on him like that. Her heartbeat returned to normal, and a woozy feeling came over her. She wanted more kisses. She wanted him to touch her.

Brooklyn reached for his hands and pulled them around her waist. They sat like that for a while until her breathing became more pronounced. He ran his fingers up and down her arms until he began rubbing her shoulders. She lifted up a bit.

"You're tense," he whispered.

He sat up and really began kneading her shoulders and when she sighed heavily, his hands dropped down and touched her chest. He cupped her breasts and she couldn't feel anything, not really, so she pulled off her top and unhooked her bra. She moved back against him and his fingers traced her areolas before pinching her reddish-brown upturned nipples.

"Brooklyn," he whispered and she caught the moan he tried to hide in his throat. Her nipples pebbled quickly and she squirmed on the bed feeling the engorgement of her vulva. Her clit matched the thumping of her heart. Little pants fell from her lips each time he tugged on her nipples, and his own muffled groans spurned her on. She felt like she was turning into a puddle of goo from his touches.

"Take your shorts off," he moaned in her ear, and she did it quickly.

His fingers found their way down between her legs deftly sliding his fingers inside her panties. She didn't hesitate to shimmy out of them. Tits all out. Pussy all out. Anderson became a Svengali and she was his faithful mistress.

"Anderson…"

Her toes were cramped from holding them tightly together. He teased two fingers tightly around her clit, and she was so glad she had trimmed up everything down there so she could feel everything. She was so wet…dripping all over his fingers. Dragging his digits down to her opening, she tensed up. He kissed the side of her neck and returned his fingers to her clit. Her thighs widened and he pressed into her bud with harder pressure.

"Oh!" she squealed. Her eyes squeezed tight.

Her legs shook and the contractions rippled inside her pussy so strong that she kept crying out. Anderson swallowed her lips with his to quiet her, his tongue thrusting in her mouth. She kept cumming and when she tasted more blood in her mouth, she sucked and swallowed with gusto until she realized what she was doing.

Feeding from him.

Brooklyn broke away and jumped off the bed. She licked her lips and her eyes felt watery from the delicious and succulent taste.

"Brooklyn…"

Anderson held his mouth that overflowed with blood dripping down his chin.

"I'm sorry! I'm sorry!"

"Your eyes…your eyes…"

He stared at her as if he had never seen her before in his life. She turned her face to look at his dresser mirror and the inhuman glow startled her too even though she was used to seeing it. But it was the blood all over her mouth that made her look like a monster.

She licked her lips and grabbed for her clothes, pulling them back on without looking at Anderson.

He stood from his bed, calm as he could be, and held his arms out to her.

She pushed away from him, the odor of his blood making her delirious, making her want more. She ran out of his room, forgetting her guitar, and grabbing her shoes from the front doorway.

Bootsy ran back and forth in the front of her yard and he jumped on her when she made it onto her own porch. The dog's paws kept hitting her stomach.

"I'm okay, I'm okay Bootsy."

She dropped to her knees to pet him. His dog energy calmed her down.

"Brooklyn."

She turned and saw Anderson standing behind the entry gate. He reached over and lifted the latch. She jumped to her feet.

"Don't come over here!"

She backed up toward her front door.

His mouth was still bleeding. The scent was driving her into an agitated state. Her nails elongated. She wanted to feed on him again.

"I don't think I can control myself."

"I don't care—"

Bootsy ran to the gate and barked like Anderson was an intruder, blocking the entrance. Startled, Anderson backed away and Brooklyn ran into her house.

"You okay, Brooklyn?" her mother called.

Brooklyn ran into her bathroom and vomited into the toilet.

There was so much blood.

So much…

And she could still smell him standing outside.


	6. Baby Blue

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Blade is asked to find new enemies...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I think three more chapters of backstory will happen and then the book will pick up with Brooklyn back at the lair after she escaped Blade.

"This moment in time  
To the deepest waters some's incline  
The day changes, such is time  
The darkness comes, but I feel fine  
I see a rainbow without sunshine  
Could touch a star, but I decline  
I know I'm nearer to the divine  
For in the darkest hour, I still shine…"

Mozez —"Baby Blue"

Two Years Ago...

Blade walked into his heavily secured waterfront warehouse and saw his munitions expert Kai Matisse working methodically at his work station piecing together new vampire body explosives. Explosives that imploded better…quieter. Less messy.

Kai barely acknowledged Blade's presence as his eye magnifier took up much of his face. Tossing his coat across a couch, Blade put away his weapons then headed toward his small makeshift kitchen in the East corner of the refurbished former sweatshop.

Tea.

He wanted some herbal tea and time to meditate.

"Dorian called," Kai said, taking a moment to glance over at Blade.

"And?"

"He wants to meet up. The detective too."

"I'm not interested in hooking up with other hunters—"

"I think we should meet to share intel. Won't hurt to know what they are dealing with on their end."

"They just want to keep tabs on me."

"Dorian's a good dude, man. At least hear him out—"

"I don't like the woman. She's too damn nosey."

"Detective Garcetti doesn't need to know all your biz."

"She likes quid pro quo and I'm not down for that."

"I hear you. But just give what you want. Doesn't have to be everything."

"I'll think about it."

"Told them we'll meet later tonight. Over at Juancy's."

Blade rolled his eyes at Kai.

"Overstepping your bounds partner."

"That's why you hired me—"

"You're still on probation."

"After six years, really?"

"Last guy I had—"

"I'm not Scud. Stop bringing that buster up to me every time—"

"Fall back."

"I would never betray you like that. You know my background. You know what I'm about. I want vampires wiped off the earth. You'd never catch my Black ass siding with them…ever. It's just good to have alliances. It's good to have others who can help carry the load. That's all I'm saying."

Blade's electric teapot shut off and he poured himself a full cup of red tea. The steam wafted up and he closed his eyes inhaling the aroma. Tired. He was so tired.

It seemed like the whole world was exploding with vampires becoming bolder, not afraid to out themselves in public anymore. There were so many human familiars willing to align with bloodsuckers that it opened up whole swathes of territory that vampires used to avoid. They had too many human enablers giving them access to innocent and ignorant people, humans who still had no clue that there were hidden worlds becoming less opaque as time went on.

"What time?"

"Nine."

Less than two hours. So much for meditation.

He dragged himself up a rickety set of wooden stairs that led to a loft area where he slept and bathed. His cell vibrated. Peeping the avatar, he answered right away.

"Blade."

The Oakland accent was heavy. Confident.

"Prince N'Jadaka. Glad you returned my call from yesterday."

"Erik. Call me Erik. Can you talk?"

Blade glanced down toward Kai's workspace. The man was focused on completing his task.

"Yeah."

"Talked to my cuz. He's open to allowing some vibranium to come your way."

Blade clenched a fist and let out a quiet exhale of relief.

"Won't be cheap though."

"I don't have a lot of liquid assets—"

"Nah, don't even trip. Consider it humanitarian aid with a small stipulation."

Blade touched his index finger to his forehead. There was always somebody wanting something extra.

"Still there?" The Prince asked.

"Yeah. What do you want in exchange?"

"I'll be coming your way soon. We can talk then."

"How soon—"

"It'll be a minute. Got some shit happening over here that my family has to deal with, but I can bring a cache by the end of the year if not sooner. We're still vetting you, but I'm putting in a good word on your behalf. I'll keep you posted."

Blade's lips curled in a snarl. He wanted the vibranium immediately. The need for better security was at an all-time high. Especially with a new breed of vampire killers on the loose. Inhuman creatures that only fed on vampires. Years ago, he had to fight elder vampires from creating genetically modified bloodsuckers, Reapers, that also fed on other vampires and humans alike. But this new enemy was a natural creation and not a virus. Creatures that few vampires understood, or could protect themselves from. Blade himself had yet to run into these new night terrors, but he had seen the aftermath of an attack while tracking a clan to their den. Brutal. Their bodies had been cannibalized, some bodies picked clean from head to toe, even the marrow sucked out from snapped bones. Kai called them land piranhas.

Kai had an encounter with them before linking up with him. He described them as bloody equine-looking monstrosities that flew. But he thought they resided mainly on the East Coast and abroad. Kai's military background as an Army vet stationed in Germany gave him access to several European countries, and the stories he told Blade about supernatural encounters made him the perfect asset to have around. The man was a skilled vampire hunter with quite a bit of encyclopedic knowledge about creatures other than vampires. Night hags. Soucouyants. Gargoyles. Hell hounds. Men with fur and fangs on the inside.

There was too much evil in the world, but for now, Blade could only focus on bloodsuckers, and the Prince from Wakanda he had on his phone.

"Get back at me when we can close the deal," Blade said.

"Bet. See you soon."

Tossing his cell on his bed, Blade took a quick shower in his bathroom and changed his clothes. He stuck with black leathers and vests. It fit his mood most of the time. Dark.

He prepped his mind to meet with Dorian and Garcetti. Dorian was always straight forward, but Garcetti…she could be a piece of work. Always pushy and accusatory. She didn't trust Blade, always telling him that he had an ulterior motive for being a vampire hunter. She once accused him of purging other vampires so that he could be King of the vampires himself. Stupid bitch. There were so many classes of vampires globally that it would take him several lifetimes to rid the world of even a third of them. It was the converts and younger full-bloods that fucked it up for everybody. At least the elders and ancient breeds kept themselves hidden. These Gen Z vamps were a pain. And flourishing. His job got rougher every year and he was ready to retire and just vanish. It was finally getting to him and he didn't know how much longer he could continue.

Lying on his bed, Blade closed his eyes and just stilled his body. Every muscle ached. Even his bones felt heavy.

"Blade, time to go."

Fuck.

He had only closed his eyes for what seemed like a minute ago. Rising up, he stuffed his cell in his vest pocket. Shit was getting old.

###

Detective Garcetti's face already looked like curdled milk when Blade walked into the neighborhood bar in NoHo. Kai shook hands with her and Dorian and Blade just slid into the booth they were sharing. Left his shades on.

"Thanks for coming on short notice," Dorian said.

Dorian nursed a rum and coke and Garcetti sipped ice water.

Uncomfortable silence hovered over them until Garcetti slid a manilla envelope to Blade. He opened it. Eight by eleven color photos. Telephoto lenses snapped the shots. Nighttime. Several people walking on a busy street.

"What am I looking at?"

"New blood in town. House of Sarai. Dual house—"

"Dual?" Blade scoffed.

"A marriage aligned the house of Sarai with the House of Amanitore," Dorian interjected.

Blade stared at the man. Dorian sipped his drink, his light brown skin smooth from tension, but his dark brown eyes took on a weighty look of concern.

"There's something big happening among the Houses. Not sure what it is, but when two houses align? That is rare…practically unheard of," Dorian said.

"Those vampire eaters must have them spooked," Kai added.

"That one right there," Dorian's fingers touched the face of a fearsome-looking vampire with cheekbones high enough to cause nosebleeds, "she's called Tewahedo. House of Amanitore. She just married a high-ranking vampire from the House of Sarai—"

"What does this have to do with us?" Blade asked.

Dorian's forehead creased and he leaned forward in his seat pulling out another photo from the folder. Garcetti leaned back in her booth seat, her eyes already cutting nasty looks at Blade. Kai dragged two other photos in front of him to peruse.

"Tewahedo is the sister of their particular sect's head vampire. Queen Tifawt."

"Get the fuck outta here," Kai barked. He grabbed the photo of Tewahedo and studied it.

"Does that mean the Queen is in the city?" Blade said.

"We don't know yet. But we do know that these particular vampires are from two joined Houses and that is a problem. It probably explains all the high activity and body counts we're experiencing. And if these are indeed aligned Houses, we could have a blood bath in the streets."

The female vampire's eyes were feral and tinged with age. She was an elder vampire, quite beautiful, probably over a century. More dangerous because of her experience. The stories Blade heard about both houses made the alliance a strange one. They were like the Hatfields and McCoys. The Montagues and Capulets. The Jets versus the Sharks. Tupac versus Biggie. Enemy houses with a blood feud humans would never understand. To have life-long enemies unite, the vampire world must be teetering on a war of some sort. Not just over bodies and territory, but an entire way of life.

Blade was curious now. Were they teaming up because of the new vampire threat? Humans were one thing to battle, but an even deadlier enemy probably had them shitting blood.

"In all of these pictures, there are members of both houses mingling. If Tewahedo is here, the Queen can't be far behind. This is trouble for the city."

Garcetti regarded Blade's face.

"This breed is cunning and more calculating than the run of the mill jokers we deal with on the regular. Dorian has some good spies out, but we can't lose them. We need you to handle the night time reconnaissance. I can't lose any more men," Garcetti said.

She sipped on her water and her eyes looked just as tired as Blade was.

"My department is stretched thin. We lost eight men in two weeks. Morale is low and we can't take any more hits. I have reached out to as many hunters as discreetly as I can, but this is going to escalate. A year or two from now, there's no telling what could happen. We could become like the East Coast, the new vampire epicenter."

Blade felt the weight of the world on him once again.

"What exactly do you need us to do?" Kai said sliding the photos back to Blade.

"Help us find Tifawt. Help me and my crew keep tabs on Tewahedo. Destroy them before they take root here any further. Bring that heat on them. If they get comfortable, they will take over," Dorian pleaded.

"We also need you to do something else," Garcetti said. She glanced over at Dorian and he looked nervous.

"What?'" Blade asked.

"I need you to become bait. You must help us find out more about these vampire killers. They haven't harmed any humans yet, and if they have no intentions of breaking their food chain, maybe they can help us clean out these roaches," Garcetti said.

Kai chuckled and sat back.

"So risk my own life to see if we can become buddies?" Blade asked.

"Something like that," Garcetti said.

She was a cool one.

"We can give you names of places they've been spotted or where vampire bodies have been found. No one knows much about them—"

"So I'm being asked to do two things. Find a vampire Queen and kill her, and also find a vampire's natural enemy and convince it to make nice with humans? Unless they kill me first."

"It's a lot, Blade. But I'm out here in the trenches too. We want you to be equipped with the latest information," Dorian said.

Blade turned his head and stared at Kai.

"What do you want to do?" Kai asked.

Blade stuffed the pictures back into the envelope.

"Let's go," he said.

Kai moved out of the booth.

"Are you with us?"

Dorian's eyes looked desperate. He sounded desperate.

"I'll get back to you," Blade said stalking out of the bar with Kai on his heels.

###

Blade stood before his cherry wood armoire and opened it. His meditation altar sat covered and when he reached to take it down, he paused. Tucked in the corner was a small photo frame. The picture was small but the frame made it more precious to him. The photo itself was nearly faded, but he could make out the important details; a plump baby sitting in a bathtub with shampoo on top of her hair with his hand holding her arm gently. The face of the child was facing down, and the lathered black curls on her head matched the soapy water surrounding her.

Her birthday was coming soon.

What would she be now? Seventeen.

He closed his eyes.

Weariness surrounded his days, but he kept fighting despite his thoughts of leaving the work.

Brooklyn.

If he quit, what would happen to the world with his human child in it?

He stuck the photo back in its corner and closed the armoire. Grabbing his jacket and the keys to the Charger, he sauntered down the stairs from his loft.

Kai was cleaning up his work table, making his own exit from the warehouse soon.

"I'm going to drive over to the Farmer's Market, get a feel for the territory," Kai said.

Blade nodded but didn't slow his stride.

"Are you coming back here later?" Kai asked.

"Nunya," Blade said.

"Nunya?"

"Nunya business," Blade tossed over his shoulder.

"Cornball," Kai threw back at him.

Blade drove with the front windows down and spent the thirty-minute trip purging his mind of vampires, vampire-eaters, and Garcetti's request.

The house in Carson he sought was in a cul de sac, and when he reached his destination, he took a moment to look around after he parked in the driveway. It felt safe. Nothing looked or smelled like trouble. He barely made it to the front door before she already had it open.

"Thought you changed your mind," she said.

His eyes dragged up and down her body taking in the pink cotton sports bra and matching panties she had draped around her curves.

"Almost did."

He took off his shades and she stroked his cheek.

"You look beat."

"That's why I come see you," he said.

Kaycee.

She smiled and draped her hands around the nape of his neck pressing her warmth into his tightly coiled frame. One of three lovers he had, she was his favorite. Ready for him day or night. No questions asked.

"Relax, Blade," she whispered in his ear.

"Kaycee," he sighed.

Her tongue snaked its way into his left ear and he picked her up in his arms.

"Wait! The door!" she giggled.

He slammed it shut with his foot and carried her up the stairs to her bedroom.

Blade sat on her bed and enjoyed Kaycee unfastening his shoes, his pants, his vest…she took great care to move slowly, letting him enjoy the sight of her removing his clothing. By the time he was completely nude, she had her underwear off, her body everything he needed. Her warm espresso brown skin was darker from sunbathing on her backyard deck, and he could tell she did it in the nude because there were no tan lines marring her abundant breasts or wide hips.

"Ooh, I see you are ready for me," she teased.

Her eyes stared at the heavy erection standing up and resting against his stomach. She dropped to her knees and he held back her thick brown hair as her big lips wrapped around the wide head of his dick.

"Dripping already, Blade."

Bobbing her head in his lap, his pre-cum painted her juicy lips, and he was ready to bust all over her face just from the purring in her voice and the sweet aroma he could already smell from between her legs. She had been sticky wet and her pussy lips swollen the moment he stepped through her door.

Rolling a condom on his length, she lifted up and held his shoulders. Blade helped her slide down on his dick and he let her ride him, slow and gentle at first until his girth made her cry out. He grabbed her by her waist and lifted her up and down, making his own strokes hit her deep. He wanted to cum inside of her, make his release drain out all the pressure he carried from the day.

"Blade! Fuck me!"

Kaycee whimpered as he pounded her, and when her cries made his nuts tighten, he rolled her onto the bed and threw her big legs over his biceps as he sank into her further and made her feel all of him stretching her insides. Her soft fleshy belly jiggled beneath him and he loved the feel of so much beautiful warm human flesh against him. She knew exactly how to move under him to get him off and it spurned him to take all that he wanted from her.

"God…Blade! Baby…! Yes...yes...yes..."

The world asked so much of him. But at that moment Kaycee helped him focus on his own needs for a change.

Wet sounds filled his ears, and he stared down at the pretty face gazing up at him full of lust. His body was pure fire and she cried out his name louder when he bared his teeth and she saw his fangs glisten with saliva, his hot grunts forcing her walls to clench around him. Lifting her legs higher he plunged in deeper and the smell of her skin and the blood beneath it drove him crazy. He fought to keep himself from sinking his fangs into her neck as his orgasm swelled his dick harder inside of her. He pulled out and ripped the condom from his dick, fisting his length. Kaycee sat up and opened her mouth wide.

"Oh shit!" he shouted.

Blade threw his head back, his balls cradled in her fingers. She made him feel invincible. Alive. Almost human.

"Kaycee, fuck!"

He watched his sticky ejaculate paint thick ribbons across her face. Jamming his tip into her hot mouth, he beat off the last of his cum down her throat. She choked on the amount of cum he released and pulled back from his body.

Her watery eyes stared up at him as semen fell from her lips onto her sweat-laden heavy breasts. His dick was still hard and she grabbed another condom from her dresser. He squeezed her tits while she sheathed his length.

Pushing her back down on the bed, he took his time fucking her, making sure she came from his dick and his mouth several times.

Blade left her before the sun came up and he made a decision.

He would look for the Queen of the dual vampire houses, and try to find the vampire eaters. He could fight a little while longer.

His daughter deserved a chance to live in a vampire-free world.


	7. Retrograde

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Brooklyn faces Anderson and is allowed to meet a new friend...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Still working on 3 things at one time, so thank you for your patience!

"Suddenly I'm hit  
It's the starkness of the dawn  
And your friends are gone  
And your friends won't come  
So show me where you fit  
So show me where you fit"

James Blake—"Retrograde"

Two years ago…

"Straighten your back Brooklyn…there you go…strong strides…there you go…stick it!"

Karen watched her daughter run down the padded runway on the gym floor, her navy blue leotard a gorgeous hue against her silky rich brown skin. A tight bun on her head and a thin sheen of sweat on her face, Brooklyn hurdled onto the springboard with her hands smacking the board firmly as she pushed off and vaulted high into the air. Her double front somersault was almost perfect despite a wobble in her tucking, and she stuck the landing.

Karen clapped her hands and Brooklyn rubbed her hands together walking over to her.

"How did it look?" Brooklyn asked.

"High scores."

"You always say that."

A smile.

God, to see her daughter smile. Openly. No covered teeth.

For a week her daughter had been elusive and quiet ever since she returned from a pizza visit with Anderson. Karen didn't know if Anderson was just under the weather, or if they had a falling out, but Brooklyn refused to see him or answer his calls on the landline.

"Do you want to do some floor work?" Karen asked.

Brooklyn nodded and followed her to an empty floor mat. The community gym was barely used in the evening and Karen knew the director well and was able to have use of it late in the evening when regular classes were done. Once a top gymnast herself (before giving up the Olympic dream because of working poor parents), Karen made sure to get her daughter involved in the sport. Brooklyn was gifted, a true talent, but she wasn't hungry to compete. She just liked the physicality of it, being able to do flips and have complete control of her body. The vault and uneven bars were her favorites and Karen helped her daughter excel at them.

Whatever the problem was with Anderson, sweating it out with gymnastics seemed to help Brooklyn relax.

Karen sat down on the edge of the mat cross-legged and enjoyed watching her daughter practice backflips and front walkovers. After an hour, Brooklyn plopped down in front of Karen and they held hands and stretched together for an easy cool down.

"Nathalee Thai for dinner?" Karen asked.

"Yes. Nutty chicken and shrimp rolls please."

"Go shower, I'll wait for you up front."

Brooklyn walked into the changing room and Karen walked outside of the building. Fifteen minutes later, her daughter walked out with tears in her eyes.

"What's wrong?" Karen asked holding Brooklyn's shoulders.

Brooklyn shook her head, but her cell phone was in her hand.

"Talk to me, honey, please."

Brooklyn wiped her eyes and pushed away from her.

"I'm okay…me and Anderson…"

"What is it?"

"We just had a fight, and I don't want to be friends anymore."

"What? Why?"

"It's just hard dealing with him right now, and he's angry all the time. I can't deal with his illness right now."

Wiping tears away and staring off in the distance, Brooklyn's body trembled a bit, but Karen knew she was lying.

"Let's get some food, okay?"

"I don't want to talk about him, Mommy. Please don't ask about it. I just get upset."

"I hope you two can work it out."

Brooklyn shook her head, but Karen didn't push her further.

They ate their dinner together in the living room and Karen gave Brooklyn tips on how to improve her vaulting. Brooklyn was calm and smiling by that point and Karen felt better about letting her daughter work through her own personal life. But what could a cancer-stricken teen do to upset her babygirl so badly?

Later that evening, Brooklyn sat against the couch on the living room floor with her laptopand laughing with a pair of headphones on. Glancing over to see her screen, Karen saw that she was chatting with a young Black teenaged girl wearing a colorful headwrap and a bright pink Marvin the Martian t-shirt.

When Brooklyn turned off her laptop, Karen casually asked about the girl.

"That's Fauna. I met her in an Afropunk/Alternative chatroom. She's into the Gorilla Girlz like me and she has the coolest clothes, like the best Tripp pants, you know, the ones I like with the chains and ropes? She's so funny."

"How long have you two been chat buddies?"

"About two months now."

"I'm glad you're making friends with your same interests."

"She wants to meet up for coffee, but I told her…"

Brooklyn grew quiet.

Karen knew it was a touchy subject for them. Brooklyn being out openly in public without Karen's supervision wasn't allowed. There were so many things that could go wrong, especially when Karen was worried about other vampires coming across her daughter and harming her.

But now that there seemed to be a rift in her friendship with Anderson…

"You really like this person?'

"Yeah. She tells corny jokes like you."

Karen play slapped Brooklyn's shoulder.

"My jokes are hilarious."

"Whatever."

Karen stared at her daughter.

"I tell you what. How about we go to the movies at the Arclight and you invite…?"

"Fauna."

"Fauna. Invite her to go with us and after the movie, the two of you can chat in person inside the movie café. I'll sit at another table and mind my business. Keep a lookout for any trouble…just in case."

Brooklyn's eyes lit up.

"I can do that?"

"Yeah. Let's set up a day next weekend."

Brooklyn put her laptop on the floor and leaned over to hug Karen's legs.

"Thanks, Mommy. I'm going to call her right now!"

Brooklyn grabbed her laptop and walked toward her room.

###

He kept calling her.

Brooklyn did her best to ignore her cell as Anderson kept blowing it up.

She was scared to be around him ever since that night she fed on him. The taste of his blood in her mouth made her want more, and the compulsion to take him was strong. It vibrated throughout her body and made her restless. It was a different type of hunger she craved and she had no idea how to handle it.

Tied into the hunger was a sexual desire too. She wanted him to touch her again. Kiss her again.

As she closed her bedroom door to start a new chat with Fauna, Anderson made her phone light up again.

She answered this time.

"What?"

"Brooklyn. I want to see you. Can we please talk about what happened?"

"I don't want to. I don't want to hurt you—"

"You didn't hurt me."

"But I can."

"I need to see you. I miss you. Just come practice with me. We can sit outside if you want—"  
"It's not a good idea. You don't know what I'm capable of."

"I don't think you really know either. That's why you're scared. Short stuff, I'm dying. I want to be with you for as long as I can—"

"Don't say that—"

"It's true. I'm not getting better. I won't get better. I need my friend with me. If you want to drink from me, I don't care."

Brooklyn started to cry again.

"Please. Brooklyn. Let me see you. Come over here…I can come over there if you want. Do you want to see me?"

"I do…I just don't trust myself. I've never done anything like that before."

She sat and stared out of her bedroom window. Her eyes caught the nuance of the changing light. She could see vastly more colors in the world than the human spectrum, and her senses picked up the deepening of the night sky. She could hear Bootsy doing his rounds about the yard and smell his pissing on the fence to mark his territory.

"Come see me. I need you."

She closed her eyes.

"Give me thirty minutes," she said.

"Thirty minutes. If you don't come, I'm walking over there."

"I'll be there."

She hung up.

Typing onto her laptop, she hit up Fauna again in their private chat space.

"Brooklyn! What's up? You decide not to read?" Fauna asked.

Brooklyn stared at her friend's face. So inquisitive and open.

"My mom wanted me to invite you to go to the movies with us next weekend. Please say you'll come! We'll watch a movie and then we can talk at the Arclight café."

"Yes!" Fauna squealed.

Brooklyn felt intense happiness in her chest. Outside of Anderson, Fauna was actually the first real friend she ever had.

In the past, Brooklyn had play dates as a child, but human children tended to shy away from her, like they sensed something different about her, even with her teeth hidden. She did her best to be friendly, but eventually, she didn't want to be bothered with interactions that made her feel like a constant outsider. Anderson was the first to accept her, and now Brooklyn had a chance with Fauna. She hoped the girl would like her just as much in person.

"I will ask my parents if I can go. Should I meet you there?"

"Yeah. I'll call you with deets as soon as we figure out what to watch. I know you'll watch anything!"

"True. I'm just happy that'll we'll get to meet in person."

"Me too."

"I'll wear those pants you like. Oh, and I'll bring you that free lip balm I got online. The color will look better on your skin tone."

"Okay!"

Brooklyn ended the chat feeling excited. It tempered the feeling of dread she had about going to see Anderson.

"Mommy, I'm going over to see Anderson. He's feeling better."

"Oh good. I'm glad you two worked things out."

"I told Fauna about the movie."

Brooklyn's face couldn't hide the big smile she had. It made her mother smile too and step off the couch to give her a big hug.

"I know this is a difficult time for you. But I'm happy you have a new friend. If you like her, I know I'll like her too."

"I won't stay over there long."

"Take your time. He's going through it. Just be gentle with him, okay?"

"I will."

Bootsy came bounding into the house when she opened the front door.

"No, you stay behind this time," Brooklyn cooed.

Bootsy did his usual whining, but her mother pulled his collar and moved him further in the house and shut the door.

Brooklyn took a moment to take in the night air. So many rich odors. She wished she could go for a long walk or a long ride with her scooter, but her mother was adamant that she stay close by at night. The dire warnings about her kind only made Brooklyn more curious. Especially curious about who her father was that gave her this affliction.

Her mother was always cryptic about her Dad's background. All she knew was that he was dead and didn't like being a vampire when he was alive. Brooklyn wasn't one to pry because it hurt her mother to talk about her Dad, but she felt so lost not knowing anything about being a…what was it that word on google said? Damphir. A child born of the union between a human and a vampire. She felt so lost in the world. Lost and unclaimed. Did her father have a family? Did they know about her? Did they want to know her?

She had yet to ever run into any other vampires, not since the day she fought two to protect her mother when she was younger and her mother destroyed them with a chemical weapon. That had traumatized Brooklyn. Made her stay isolated willingly until she hit her teens. The desire to know more about herself was moving beyond internet searches and all the myths and folklore she had read. She wanted to meet vampires in person. Be among her own kind to see where she really fit.

"Hey."

Anderson stood his front door. There were faint dark circles under his eyes, but that looked like a lack of sleep.

"Hey," she said.

He grabbed for her hand and pulled her inside.

"My parents went out to see a musical. We have privacy. No teeth coverings. Good."

He touched her lip. She forgot to put them on before she left. She was surprised her mother didn't catch it.

He held onto her hand and they walked into his bedroom.

She felt a bit of tightness in her stomach. Her nerves were on high alert.

"See?" he said.

"See what?"

"You didn't attack me."

The smirk on his face made her smile and eased the tension between them.

He jumped on his bed and patted a space right next to him. She crawled onto it but kept a polite distance. He grabbed her by her waist and pulled her in close.

"Don't be scared. I'm not."

He kissed her and she laid there stiff not moving her mouth at all.

"Kiss me, please. Let me show you it's okay," he whispered.

She placed her right hand against his chest and tried to hold him back.

"I wasted time not being with you. Not as a friend, Brooklyn, but as something more. I spent all week thinking about how stupid I have been all these years. I don't know how much time I really have, and I know this is a shitty time to ask you this, but…I want you to be with me."

"A girlfriend?"

"Yeah…hey, what is it?"

He wiped the small tear that ran down her face.

"I've always wanted that. And yeah, it sucks balls that I get to be that now."

Anderson laughed and kissed her forehead.

"It's official. We are a couple. Don't cry, Brooklyn."

He kissed her tears away and eventually kissed away the tightness she carried in her body. She was so worried about attacking him. But the longing for blood wasn't there, even though she could smell the richness of it under his skin, and could see it coursing through his body if she really used her eyes.

She wanted this for so long. And a cruel twist of fate only gave it to her with a ticking clock.

They spent time kissing and talking a bit. Brooklyn learned to be careful with her teeth. The lust in Anderson's eyes and the erection in his pants made her breathy and wanton. She wasn't shy about stroking on his dick. They removed their clothing and the more aggressive Brooklyn became trying to push them to go further, the gentler Anderson became. He made her slow down and pushed her legs open.

Staring at her vulva he laughed a little bit.

"What is so funny?" she asked feeling self-conscious.

"I just never thought we'd be like this together, that's all."

"I did," she said.

"You did?"

"I always wanted you, Anderson. You just didn't see it in me."

His smile faded and he lowered his body so that his face was between her legs. The first swipe of his tongue on her clit made her legs shake. Once he dragged his wet mouth all over her engorged folds, she melted onto the bed. She watched his right hand stroke his dick and the light tawny slickness of it made her whimper. His tongue dipped into her and she gasped and clutched the pillow her head rested on.

"Anderson!" The shriek from her mouth was just as forceful as the orgasm that throbbed uncontrollably on Anderson's lips. He sucked and licked and kissed her and her release seemed to keep going.

Once she became limp on the bed, he kissed his way up her stomach and chest until he was sucking her tongue and the taste of her own cum filled her mouth.

"I want it all," she said to him as her legs opened wider for him.

He left the bed and went to his bureau drawer. Pulling out a condom he padded back to her.

###

Life was good.

Between floating on cloud nine with Anderson and fucking him every chance she got, and spending time with Fauna in person for weeks, Brooklyn for once felt like a real person. A human.

From their first movie date and coffee chat to the sleepovers and solo trips to the mall, Brooklyn finally had the life she dreamed of with Fauna now in it.

Fauna was everything Brooklyn wanted in a friend. She was loyal, supportive, and open to so many new things. They shared make-up, fingernail polish, clothes, and gossip. Brooklyn confided in Fauna that her relationship with Anderson was all that it could be under the circumstances. Fauna was understanding and sympathetic about Anderson's cancer.

Things went well until Brooklyn asked about Fauna's headwraps.

From the onset, Fauna was pure punk and often retro goth in her looks and clothing, but she always had her head covered with a few braids peeking out. Twice Brooklyn saw her with elaborate horn-like braids covered in yarn and cloth when she went out to concerts with Brooklyn. She just thought of it as extravagant styling and was just happy that her mother was allowing her to go to events with Fauna. The girl attracted people to her like bees to honey, and Brooklyn felt easy and calm around her.

But she had never seen Fauna's hair all by itself. Neither her parents. And they weren't really Rasta or Muslim types or else Brooklyn could kind of allow it to slide. But she was nosey.

"Is there a reason why you never wear your hair out?"

The words rushed out one day as they sat in Fauna's bedroom looking at clothes online.

Her dear new friend froze up. She was hiding something. And Brooklyn immediately felt protective.

"Forget it. I was just being overly curious."

There. Fear in the eyes.

Brooklyn knew that look. It was the same one she gave Anderson when he found out she was a vampire.

She stared at her friend.

There was something different about her…

The attraction to her.

So many people grew enamored with her quickly. She was a sweet and kind person, but there was something that she did to people that made them desire her.

She wasn't human.

That had to be it.

If not regular human, then something more than human.

Fauna was a true friend, and if Brooklyn wanted to get something from her, she would have to give. Trust would have to start now.

Brooklyn removed her fronts and showed Fauna her teeth. Her friend's mouth fell open and she started to cry.

"Fauna?"

Fauna reached up and unwrapped the colorful cloth from her head.

Brooklyn blinked several times and a huge smile made her beam.

Horns.

"May I?" she asked.

Fauna nodded and Brooklyn reached up to touch the two dark curved horns that looked powerful and delicate at the same time. Her braided hair fell around her shoulders.

"Can I?" Fauna asked.

Brooklyn moved closer and opened her mouth wide. Fauna touched her teeth, top, and bottom. Tears fell down her own face, and Fauna wiped them away.

"Well look at us," Fauna said.

Brooklyn grabbed her friend and hugged her.

"I won't tell anyone," she whispered.

"I won't either," Fauna said, "Does Anderson know about you?"

"Yes. He found out by accident."

They dried their eyes and told all they knew about each other. When Brooklyn confessed that she had never really met another vampire, Fauna's eyes lit up.

"I know some."

"Are you for real?" Brooklyn asked with excited breath.

"My part-time job has a bunch of…a bunch of types that come in to shop and chop it up with my boss, Medja. You should come hang out where I work. The freaks come out at night, girl."

Fauna's eyes grew even brighter.

"You should come work there with me!"

"I don't think my mother would let me. She's real strict…overprotective."

"I can convince her. It'll only be one or two days a week. Fridays and Saturdays."

"What can you tell me about these vampires?"

"They are the coolest ever! And their leader, Oh, my God! He is so fine! Amir…"

Her eyes went all glassy and aroused.

"Talk to my mother. Get me that job!"

"It'll be so much fun working together!" Fauna squealed.

She grabbed her phone.

"I'm calling Medja now so he can talk to you! It's a goth clothing store, but we sell everything for all kinds. And when I say all kinds, Brooklyn. I mean all kinds."

Brooklyn watched Fauna speak to her boss and then she was handing the phone to her.

She took a deep breath.

"Hi, Medja…"

The world was opening up. At last.


	8. Miss Shiney

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Brooklyn gets used to living out loud...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm on a roll, y'all. Might knock another chapter out for tomorrow!

"I got pressure  
She call me diamond  
No time for mistake  
Too scared for fighting  
You know I dreamed this

Reality since I was a youngin' and  
Write down who I be and now  
The manifestation's comin' in  
Now why you actin' (like what)  
Now why you actin' like that?"

Kaiit – "Miss Shiney"

"Can you work past ten p.m.?"

Brooklyn stared at the tall lithe dark-skinned Black man before her.

Medja.

Although it was a goth/alternative life style shop, every employee inside Dark Threads & Collectibles looked like they stepped off the set of a creature feature. Some were human and cosplaying a role, and others were clearly not. Medja was one of them.

She was able to ascertain who was human around the store as Fauna introduced her co-workers. Brooklyn could pick up human odors, and she could also discern a few non-humans with Fauna's sly whispers to confirm.

The man in front of her exuded other worldly that was not special effects or fake contacts or fake vampire teeth. His silver-white sclera-only eyes were real as fuck, and the deep black markings painted on all of his fingers all the way over his long-pointed fingernails wasn't dye or henna. It was all-natural two-toned skin. Deep cocoa coloring spilling into vanta black.

Dressed like he stepped from a haute-couture photo shoot, Medja seemed to be staring at her face, but with no iris or pupil present, it was difficult to tell. She only assumed because his head was tilted down her way.

"Yes."

That was a lie.

Fauna did talk to her mother, but Karen said she would think about it. She didn't like the fact that the only hours available were after seven in the evening. Plus, it was located in the heart of Hollywood. Definite vampire territory.

Brooklyn begged, even promised to carry vampire chemical repellant, and assured Karen that she could take herself to work and back on her scooter so there was no way it would interfere with Karen's work hours. Her scooter was safer than catching the bus or a Lyft since she wouldn't have to wait around for a ride, or risk getting into a ride share with one of them by accident.

At that moment, her mother thought she was at the movies with Fauna stuffing their faces with too much buttered popcorn and soda. She also lied and told Karen she was going to visit Anderson at the hospital on the way back from the movie with Fauna. It was just an excuse to stay out later and hang around Dark Threads & Collectables for a few hours.

"You can't lie for shit," Medja said.

Brooklyn pressed her lips together.

Medja stared at her application in his left hand.

"How old are you?"

"About to be eighteen—"

"Just say seventeen," he said with an annoyed voice.

Fauna scratched her scalp near her right horn. Working at Dark Threads & Collectables allowed her to display her full self openly. No head wraps or elaborate hairdos. Her black scoop neck work t-shirt with the store name emblazoned on it in sparkly silver letters made her cleavage look lush. It made Brooklyn's mouth water and gave her tingly feelings between her legs. Now that Anderson was in the hospital with a serious set-back, she had been spending all of her time with Fauna. And some of that time hadn't just been friendly homegirl stuff. Their relationship had shifted into nebulous territory. Brooklyn was feeling guilty about it too.

"Medja, phone call."

Francine, a cute white brunette with a short pixie cut and fake vampire teeth handed him a cordless phone.

"I'll be back," Medja said spinning on his black boot kitten heels and walking to the back of the shop.

Fauna and Brooklyn stood near the long front counter where two registers were kept and waited. Fauna ran her hand up and down her back sparking more tingles in her.

"Don't worry. He's always abrupt with new people. You got this. He needs the help, and he likes you."

"How can you tell? I don't even know if he's looking at me or not."

"He's looking, trust me."

Fauna's hands rested around Brooklyn's waist. Her touch made Brooklyn move closer to her.

The feelings between them were slipping into new places that felt odd at first. That happened to Brooklyn a lot when she wasn't sure if another girl liked her beyond friendship. Fauna gave her first-hand experience into stumbling by accident.

It happened at the mall.

They were trying on clothes in a store and Fauna needed help with a zipper. Brooklyn had nonchalantly walked in and helped her zip up a blouse, gave her compliments on how it looked, and as Fauna took off the blouse, she pulled off her bra.

"I want to try it without support," she said.

Brooklyn watched her friend cup each large breast and arrange them in the blouse as she shifted her legs because her clit had swollen. She could feel the light pulses between her legs, the same feeling she had when Anderson touched her or kissed her down there. Her eyes couldn't stop staring at Fauna's chest and her friend caught her with the lascivious look in her eyes.

Brooklyn always knew she liked men and women, but it was so different to have feelings for someone who started out as a friend only. She thought maybe she was under the spell of Fauna's natural seduction of humans because of her species. The Adyx were a vampire's best friend because of that trait. But this was not that. It was real attraction.

Brooklyn even did the mature thing and talked to Anderson about it. They stopped having sex because he was to ill and too weak, and their relationship blossomed into intimate conversations and a lot of time spent with Brooklyn just holding him on his hospital bed when no one was around.

"I want you to still have pleasure," he said.

"I can masturbate," she quipped while she rubbed his bald head.

"I give you my blessing to explore," he whispered.

"But I love you."

"I love you too. But it will make me happy if there is someone you like and trust who can fill in that physical need—"

"I don't need it—"

"Yes you do. I could barely keep up with you. I don't think I could even if I weren't sick."

"I don't want to cheat on you."

"How is it cheating if I tell you to do it? If you want to see if there's something there, go for it."

"If Fauna was a guy, would you say the same thing?"

"Probably."

"Probably?"

"Yes. As long as you liked and trusted that person too. You will always be my girl, Brooklyn."

"And when you get better, would I still be able to see someone else?"

"Heck no!"

They laughed together until he fell asleep full of painkillers.

The guilt was still there even with the open conversation with him, but she gave herself permission to explore the possibility only. That is, until she went home with Fauna and they kissed for the first time.

On Fauna's bed.

Lounging against one another and watching cheesy K-Dramas, Brooklyn thanked Fauna for being there for her and keeping her mind off of Anderson's troubles. She gave Fauna a simple kiss on the cheek and left it at that until Fauna kissed her on her cheek. They hugged and Brooklyn's hand rested on Fauna's chest, right over her left nipple. She moved it slyly in a circle just to see how she would react and Fauna did nothing. Brooklyn stopped moving just to be safe and Fauna stroked her hair. When she glanced up to look at Fauna's face, the girl brought her lips down and kissed her, giving her plenty of tongue.

Brooklyn squeezed that big titty with a firm hand and when Fauna took off her shirt and bra, that hand soon became tongue and lips and plenty of biting.

The pussy was so good.

Lips smacking, Brooklyn showed out on Fauna, especially when she made the girl sit on her face so her tongue could drag up and down and dip in and out with slow deliberate swipes. She came in her mouth as Brooklyn flicked her own clit to release.

They held each other on the bed afterward, and Brooklyn didn't want to push it further in case Fauna didn't want to go any further. Brooklyn's clit still jumped and the heat from Fauna's body made her suck on her friend's nipples and finger her pussy once again.

"Brooklyn…just like that!"

Brooklyn swallowed hard and looked around the store pushing the sexy thoughts of Fauna out of her mind.

"I'll give you a test run. Can you start tomorrow?" Medja asked.

Brooklyn stared at his face as he stepped around the counter and opened up a register. He stuffed twenty- and five-dollar bills inside the till and slammed it shut.

"What time?" she asked.

"Three o'clock. I'll start you on shift early with Fauna and get all that new hire shit over with. Just shadow Fauna. We can talk later tomorrow night. There are some very specific things you need to know about this place. I like the fake teeth. Nice touch coming in dressed for the part."

Brooklyn didn't correct him.

"Is it okay if she hangs out today and get a feel for the place before she's on the clock?" Fauna asked.

"Sure. Welcome aboard, Brooklyn."

Medja held his hand across the counter and she took it.

He held her hand longer than necessary. His fingers were warm and she wanted to stroke his nails just to see how they felt.

Releasing her hand, Medja stepped from around the counter.

"The register is yours, Fauna. Let me know if Howard comes in today. He needs to take those Godawful bobble head ghoul toys back. Not one person bought those shitty things and I want them gone."

Medja stepped away, but turned back to look at Brooklyn once more. His white eyes were so alluring to her.

"You smell nice. What perfume are you wearing?" he said.

"I'm not wearing anything. Just unscented soap and water," Brooklyn said.

"Hmmm, your natural scent…some of our customers are going to love it. Take a work shirt home with you before you leave."

"Alright."

Medja stayed in front of her and Brooklyn could finally see deeper in his eyes. There were no pupils or irises, but she caught the subtle changes in his sclera. He gave her a wide smile with his full lips.

"Enjoy hanging out," he said.

Fauna tapped her shoulder.

"Close your mouth," Fauna said.

"My mouth is not open—"

"Hmmph. Get used to it. A lot of very good-looking individuals come through here."

"Tell me about Medja since you failed to warn me about him before I came here. What is he?"

"I'll let him tell you about himself."

Fauna looked around the shop.

"Come on, let me show you around the store."

###

The store was bigger on the inside than she expected.

The walls were decorated with elaborate weapons from medieval days to fantastical science fiction creations. Clothes, jewelry, sex toys, lotions, and lubes were sold, right along with footwear and fetish items. Expensive and high-quality goods hung on racks, shelves, and elaborate displays. Brooklyn was happy to know employees had a twenty-percent discount.

Medja's office was on a second floor with a two-way mirror. She was able to peek in there as Medja spoke on a cell at his desk. The second floor had a walkway that went around the entire store and the only items available for sale up there were posters, paintings, and photography of the monstrous and grotesque kind. There were a few hardcore erotic horror pictures sold too, and Brooklyn gasped when she saw how much they sold for. Several were in the thousands of dollars range. Hardcore electronic and ambient mixes played on store speakers giving the place the feel of a club dropping bangers all night.

There were register stations in the front and back, and as the day wore on, the store grew busy. Fauna was right, all types came through the place, and Brooklyn's sensitive nose took in scents that were strange and non-human.

Fauna was popular, and she had a way of upselling to people. She looked so free bouncing around the store without hiding who she was. Hidden in plain sight. A few times Brooklyn was approached by customers who thought she worked there, so she pretended she did and passed them onto Fauna or the other four workers.

It was a hipster spot and she liked the vibe it gave, but she was disappointed that not one vampire strolled in even though it was nine at night and dark outside.

"Psst, Brooklyn!"

Fauna waved to her and Brooklyn walked back down the stairs and joined her at the counter.

"You see that man?" Fauna whispered.

Brooklyn watched a bearded ginger peruse a rack of dark leather pants.

"Go walk past him and look at his neck," she said.

Brooklyn strolled over to where the man shopped and pretended to look through the rack on the other side. She made her way around to where he was eyeing a Steampunk-styled orange and crème velvet riding coat.

Some type of dark blue tattoo was on the back of his neck. It looked like Egyptian hieroglyphs. She sauntered back over to the register.

"See it?" Fauna asked.

"Yeah."

"He's a familiar for a vampire. That glyph on his neck marks him for a house."

"A house?"

"Yeah. Vampires run in packs. Family packs or chosen family packs. They're called houses. But they also have minions that do shit for them in the daytime. That guy belongs to a house. His owner branded him to let other vampires know to stay the fuck away."

"Vampires own humans, huh? Slaves and shit."

"Not slaves. Humans want to be familiars. For status. Access to resources. Power. A chance to be turned into vampires—"

"That's just a myth."

"They can turn people. It's not a myth. They use them for food too. Fresh food."

The man walked over to the counter with the Steampunk jacket. He pulled out a credit card. Brooklyn watched Fauna do the transaction and everything looked easy. She pretended to watch another customer behind the man checking out shoes. But her eyes peeped the glyph again.

After the man left, Brooklyn had questions.

"How come I haven't seen any vampires walk through yet?"

"It's still early and we stay open for another two hours. They don't always come in."

Brooklyn was disappointed. She was excited about potentially seeing one. A full blood up close and personal.

"Do any vampires work for Medja?"

"No. You'd be the first actually. The first real one," Fauna said as Francine the fake vampire walked past carrying a box full of bobble head ghouls.

"Give this to Howard when he comes in," Francine said dropping the large box on the side of the counter.

"Sure thing," Fauna said.

"Going on my break. See you back in twenty," Francine said.

The woman pulled out her fake teeth and stared at Brooklyn.

"Where did you get yours from?" She asked staring at Brooklyn's mouth.

"I had them specially made from back east, for a convention last year," Brooklyn said.

"They look so real, the coloring and everything is perfect. Did they cost a lot?"

"A grip," Brooklyn said smiling wide. Francine smelled delicious.

For a second, Francine just stared at Brooklyn, and something she saw spooked her.

"Gonna run," the woman said.

As Francine walked out, a striking blonde walked in with large extravagant gold horns on her head. She walked over to Fauna with a big grin on her face.

"At last, we get a shift together," the woman said with a slight Eastern European accent.

Brooklyn found herself being interested in the woman from jump. It was obvious, this beauty was an Adyx like Fauna.

"A short one I'm afraid," Fauna said giving the woman a hug.

"Oh no, you're not doing the twilight shift?"

"No. This is my friend Brooklyn. She's going to start working here tomorrow."

"Hello Brooklyn, I'm Ilona. Welcome to the party!"

Ilona's horns had Brooklyn intrigued.

"What are those?" Ilona asked staring down at the box on the floor.

"The bobble heads," Brooklyn said.

"I knew those things sucked. Lacy should never have gotten those from Howard. No one likes that shit. They are ugly and tacky," Ilona snapped.

"He's picking them up," Fauna said,

"Good riddance. Medja in?"

"Upstairs."

Ilona walked to the back of the store where the employee room was.

"She looks like a celebrity," Brooklyn said.

The store phone rang as a couple of customers walked up to the counter. Fauna rang up purchases as she held the cordless phone to her ear.

"Brooklyn, do me a favor, can you take this up to Medja?"

Fauna handed her a journal-sized ledger book.

"Just knock on the door and give it to him."

Brooklyn took the book and meandered around customers and racks to get to the stairs. She knocked on Medja's closed door.

"Come in!"

Stepping into the room, she handed the ledger to her new boss.

"Thanks. You like?" he asked.

"It's a cool store. I like it."

"Good. I actually have some forms here, so if you want, you can fill out these I-9 and W-2 forms. I just need your I.D. and social security card. If you have a passport that's even better. Bring them tomorrow when you come in so I can scan and send them to my HR."

"I have a passport."

He handed her a pen and two forms to fill out.

Medja glanced at the security feed he had on his desk.

"Excuse me," he said jumping up.

He rushed out of the office.

Brooklyn walked to the entrance of the office.

A statuesque Black woman with the most perfect dark brown skin Brooklyn ever saw in her life stood at the counter. Fauna turned her head and looked up at Brooklyn, and she knew in that instant her bestie was trying to let her know something.

A full blood had walked into the store.

Brooklyn moved slowly around the walkway on the second floor to get a discreet look at the woman. Cheekbones raised to the Gods, eyes fiery and demanding of an audience, Brooklyn couldn't take her eyes off of her. Her thick dark hair was swept up into French roll and her clothes were designer originals. High wasted red pants, red heels, and a red leather fitted Victorian style lace back coat. Sexy. Captivating. A queen among peasants…

The store chime went off and Brooklyn's nose went into overdrive. Four more full bloods walked in, two males, two females, all Black, dressed just as fabulous…

Fuck.

Whatever Brooklyn thought of the woman she nicknamed the queen was now moot. The man who strolled in last put that woman on notice.

High white collar popped up around his neck, a black and white houndstooth coat cinched and fitted on his body, Brooklyn gripped the railing on the second floor tight when she saw all of him. Long faintly twisted locs that defied gravity sprang about his head. The other vampires made room for him when he sauntered over to the counter.

"Amir!" Medja said. They shook hands.

"Shit," Brooklyn uttered under her breath.

Amir's head turned almost in her direction. So did the other vampires. Brooklyn covered her mouth fast. Amir waved his hand and his crew walked to the back of the store and browsed. Fauna looked like she was in love in the man's presence, and her eyes darted up to Brooklyn. Brooklyn waved her hand under her neck to let her know to keep quiet, but Amir's head tilted. His nose crinkled and he turned his whole body toward her and looked up.

Busted.

His eyes kept her rooted where she stood and she could barely breathe.

"Hello, half breed."

Brooklyn nearly jumped out of her skin when she saw that the vampire she crowned Queen in all her dazzling red glory was standing right next to her on the second floor, her voice a deadly hiss.

"Aren't you a pretty shiny little thing. A perfect Black diamond."

The full blood's voice dripped with venom.

Brooklyn never heard her coming.


	9. Hungry Hippo

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Brooklyn maneuvers the vampire pack and Blade is on the hunt...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Took a minute to write anything.  
> Still juggling three books at once!  
> Enjoy!

"He likes my diamonds and my pearl  
I said, thank you I designed it  
Not your average girl  
He needed swag and I provide it ('vide it)

Open up and bite it, bite it  
Open up and bite it, bite it (bite it)  
Open up and bite it, bite it (bite it)  
Shut up boy bite it (bite it)"

Thierra Wack—"Hungry Hippo"

The vampire's mouth was inches from Brooklyn's face. Her breath had the odor of something soaked in brine for too long. The smile that lingered beyond Brooklyn's comfort level revealed teeth ready to pounce, the curved canines sharpened like small knives.

The full blood reached up to finger Brooklyn's hair, but she grabbed the hand quickly stopping the red queen from touching her.

"You're fast half breed."

The woman took a step back, her height intimidating, but Brooklyn stood her ground.

"What's your name?"

Brooklyn's eyes honed in on the slight blur of two other vampires. Their bodies would've frightened a regular human for they appeared to materialize out of thin air. But her own vampire instincts grew sharp and moved into supernatural range. She would never allow another vampire to sneak up on her like the red queen had. That had rattled Brooklyn, and the last thing she wanted to do was show outward fear. The unease she already felt was hard to dismiss. She didn't want to come off soft and naïve in front of these apex killers.

"This is my friend, Brooklyn."

Fauna stood behind a male vampire that wore a hooded coat. His medium brown face looked young, not much older than Brooklyn herself with slight mustache hairs above his lips and on his chin. It was a sweet face actually. The female next to him had tight eyes that made her look suspicious of everyone around her. Her soft amber-colored skin and short curly light brown hair didn't match the sharp teeth she bared watching Brooklyn's face. She was an attack dog and would probably pounce on her if the red queen stepped aside.

"Brooklyn…"

Her name sounded like a deadly incantation on the red queen's lips.

"You never told us you knew a half breed, Fauna," Tight Eyes said.

"She doesn't really get out…"

Fauna's eyes showed her own unease as she walked around the vampires and stood next to Brooklyn. Grabbing her hand, Fauna pulled Brooklyn closer to her.

"I was hoping you all would get to meet her," Fauna said.

"She can't speak?" The male vampire said.

His voice sounded amused, and even when his teeth flashed, he still looked like a regular guy. He was cute. Very cute.

"I can speak," Brooklyn said. Her voice came out loud, almost defiant. She let them all see her fangs.

Her eyes glanced down to the main floor and she could see Medja and Amir staring up at her.

"I'm Raphael, that's Tionne—"

"And I'm Devra. Bring her to the house, Fauna. We can have a little visit. Get to know each other."

Devra's eyes hid no deceit, and Brooklyn trusted her gut on first impressions. This woman was curious, eager to know her, but she was also not someone to turn one's back on.

"I'll check with Amir," Fauna said as she pulled Brooklyn away from them and toward the stairs.

"Who is human? Mom or Dad?" Raphael asked. There was some playfulness in his voice as he watched Brooklyn's face.

"Mom."

Walking down the stairs, Brooklyn caught sight of the other two vampires, a female with dark green eyes and really big teeth. The other male was a mahogany cutie with a severe Caesar haircut.

And then there was Amir.

His eyes took in Brooklyn's appearance with disdain. Up close he was even more striking to gaze at. Tall. Haughty. Gorgeous.

"Brooklyn, this is Amir," Fauna said.

"Hi."

Amir gave her a head nod and turned back to Medja.

"Amir, is it okay to bring Brooklyn over—"

"Half breeds are trouble," he quipped.

His voice had rich tones that made Brooklyn's stomach tumble. It also made her a little pissed. He was so dismissive. Sexy arrogant men were the worst.

"Trouble? How?"

Brooklyn stepped right next to him.

He moved away from her like she stank or something, his lips curled in a sneer.

"Step back," he demanded.

Brooklyn heard snickering behind her and when she turned to look, all of the vampires stood boxing her in. Devra's eyes looked very amused by Amir's tone.

"You scared or something?" Brooklyn couldn't hide the annoyance in her voice.

All her life spent wanting to meet full-bloods, and the leader of a real pack was acting like an asshole.

Medja smiled and leaned against the counter taking in the scowl on Amir's face.

"Brooklyn, I had no idea you were mixed. That's a pleasant surprise. She works for me now, Amir. You'll see her a lot," Medja said. He winked at Brooklyn.

Amir gave her another once over.

"Let me guess. You've never been around real vampires before and want to hang around to learn about your culture or some shit like that?" Amir said.

"Shit like that, yeah," Brooklyn said.

"No," he said.

"Why not?"

Devra started laughing and Amir gave her a blunt look to shut up, but she kept cackling.

Brooklyn moved closer to him and put a hand on her hip.

"Well? You're not going to answer me?"

"Because you're nothing like us!"

His teeth were so ferocious that Brooklyn jumped back when he snapped at her with such force.

"Amir!"

Devra jammed herself in between them and pushed Amir back.

"Time to go," Devra said tugging on his arm.

His eyes were inflamed and his fangs were still shining in his mouth. But instead of being afraid, Brooklyn became intrigued. The anger turned her on and she became bold.

"I'm coming to your house," she said as she shifted her neck for emphasis.

"Stop while you're ahead, little Diamond," Devra said.

Amir smoothed down the front of his coat.

"Let's go," Amir snapped.

He stalked out of the store followed by all the vampires except for Raphael.

"You have spunk, girl," Raphael said.

"I meant what I said," Brooklyn quipped.

"Not a good idea. He'll kill you if you show up to our place without permission."

"He's like your Daddy or something?"

"You really don't know shit, huh?" Raphael asked. He stared at Fauna.

"Teach your friend better, Fauna. You don't want to piss off Amir. He'll ban you."

Raphael gave Brooklyn a final once over.

"Later," he said.

She watched him bound out the door and once she sensed that they were far enough away, she gave a heavy exhale.

"I didn't think they would act like that. Sorry, Brooklyn," Fauna said.

"Do all full-bloods hate mixed-bloods?"

"I didn't think so. I mean, they interact with turned ones, so I thought someone born that way was cool. I didn't know Amir would be so mean. He's so good to me, and I thought you being my friend would be fine."

"A lot of vampires think mixed vampires are an abomination. Unnatural," Medja said.

"But a turned human seems more unnatural than someone born a vampire," Fauna said.

"I agree, but that's how Amir feels. Most houses feel that way too."

"Raphael seemed cool," Brooklyn said.

"He is. Out of all of them, he is the most accepting of others. In the future, when they come to the store, ignore Amir. He can be testy and Devra can't always control him," Medja said.  
"Is that his wife?"

"Devra? No, she's his sister," Fauna said.

The door chime rang, but Brooklyn didn't see anyone enter the store when she turned to look.

"Fuck!" Medja yelped.

He turned and walked swiftly toward the back of the store. Brooklyn's nose picked up a scent that reminded her of petrichor and burnt cedarwood.

"Don't you run, Medja!"

The hairs on Brooklyn's arms raised. She heard a woman's voice but there was no woman around close enough to speak except for Fauna and Brooklyn, and neither of them said a word.

Medja froze and turned around, staring at nothingness…

Nothingness until there was a small shimmer of light and then a wisp of swirling white smoke that twisted like a tiny silent tornado in front of Medja. It grew in size, the white shifting into a grayish-black cloud until a whole Black beauty materialized before him.

"I am sick of you!"

Short silver-white hair, and a shapely body covered in a clingy powder blue maxi dress, the beauty shoved her finger in Medja's chest.

"Let's go up to my office love," Medja pleaded.

He grabbed the woman's hand and pulled her with him while looking flustered as he left. Brooklyn's hand clutched at her chest.

"What was that?" she whispered.

"A Sylph. An elemental. Her name is Caldonia, and she's Medja's girlfriend…or fiancé…it changes every week," Fauna said looking confused.

"You have a lot to teach me, Fauna," Brooklyn said, her eyes round with amazement.

"Brooklyn, I had your hopes up about hanging with vampires. I feel awful things didn't go like I wanted them to. I thought for sure that since I hang with them, they would be more accepting."

"Don't worry about it. There will be other vampires. Ones that won't be dickheads like Amir."

Brooklyn's cell phone vibrated in her back pants pocket.

"My mother is looking for me. I better head home."

"Don't forget your work shirt. Hold on a second."

Fauna ran to the employee room and Brooklyn texted her mother that she was on her way back home.

It had been an eye-opening day.

Full bloods. Medja. A Sylph.

What else was out there in the world she hadn't known about?

And why didn't her mother tell her any of it?

###

The stench hit his nose before he saw the bodies.

Blade flipped on a flashlight to help Kai see brutally tattered bodies of three full-blood vampires and two turned ones.

Kai bent down and dipped a loose twig in the puddle of vampire fluids.

"Still a bit tacky. Maybe two hours ago?" Kai said.

"You smell that?" Blade said looking around.

"Yeah. Like rotted meat."

"It was them," Blade said.

Kai aimed his flashlight at the top of the abandoned building they stood behind.

"No cameras," he said.

"Get a sample of that," Blade commanded, pointing to a sticky and pungent-smelling dark splash that looked like blood or saliva from whatever killed the bloodsuckers.

Kai slipped on protective gloves from his pocket and took Q-tip swabs to collect the gelatinous smear samples. He dropped them into plastic baggies and tucked them inside his jacket pocket. He tossed the gloves when he was done.

"They were just fucking slaughtered," Kai said.

The vampires were tossed around like broken toys, huge chunks of flesh bitten off down to the bone.

"Ate half of this face," Kai said holding his light above one particular mangled body.

"Kai!"

Blade stood before a turned vampire that had the bottom half of their torso ripped off. A female. Her hands dug into the ground trying to drag her remains away from Blade. Her dark hair was clotted with blood and parts of her shattered skull. Her eyes were pure survival, and they recognized Blade.

"Can you speak?" Blade asked, dropping to his haunches.

The vampire on the ground covered her face with her hands when the light of Kai's flashlight struck her bruised face.

"No U.V.s. Speak if you can," Blade said.

"Eaters…beasts…"

The ragged cracks of her voice and the strong lisp hinted at a broken jaw and damaged tongue. She struggled to say more but the bottom half of her face fell off.

Blade blew a hole into her brain with a U.V. bullet. The eaters had done Blade a solid by taking out the vampires. This one didn't need to have time to regenerate itself.

"All their heads are knocked off, Blade. Why was hers still intact…somewhat?" Kai asked.

"They might have been disturbed or full," Blade said.

The last two weeks saw them tracking over ten locations where bodies were piled up like chicken bones on a plate. But still no actual in-person sightings. The sample fluids Kai collected were the most they had found. It was an enzyme of some sort. Kai guessed it was used to help digest the meat of the vampires.

"They are escalating," Kai said.

"Good for us, but still…"

"Yeah, will they turn on humans next?"

"Let's go—"

Blade and Kai turned in the direction of the sound they heard inside the building. Taking the lead, Blade kicked in a metal door and they both scavenged the interior.

Kai raised his gun toward a shambling figure in the corner covered in refuse.

A human.

Blade lifted the homeless man to his feet.

"Don't eat me, please!"

"What's your name?" Kai asked.

"Barry."

"Tell us what happened here," Blade said.

Barry trembled as he saw Blade's teeth.

"Speak!"

"I was sleeping in here and I heard some noise outside. I took a look and I saw some people…vampires…and then these things just dropped down from the sky and…"

Barry covered his face. Blade shook him to keep talking.

"Tell us about the things that did this."

"They were big. Fast. The vampires were about to kill me and then all of a sudden they were being attacked."  
"How many were there?"

"Three, maybe four…I ran back in here and covered myself up."

"Could you describe them?" Kai asked taking out his cell to record.

"They had large heads, long heads, like buffalo heads, just huge…and their teeth….looked like the kind sharks have y'know? Like double rows, and they just ate and ate and ate-!"

The man lost it and Blade grabbed his rumpled smelly coat by the lapels.

"Calm down. How long have you been staying here?"

"A month. Just me."

"Have you seen those things before?"

"No."

"What about vampires?"

"I'd never stay here if I knew vampires were hanging around here."

Blade released the man. Barry ran to the door and fled the scene.

"They work in packs like vampires," Blade said.

"And they can strike anywhere."

"I feel like we're going in circles…"

Blade froze.

"What?"

Silencing Kai with his finger, Blade pointed up toward the ceiling, then shook his head toward the exit.

They moved in stealth mode outside the building.

"Up there," Blade whispered.

Flashing their lights to the roof of the eight-story building, they both saw a blood raw-looking creature perched on the edge looking down at them.

"Fuck, looks like a goddamn demon" Kai uttered, reaching for his weapon strapped in his holster.

"Don't move," Blade said.

The creature's skin looked slick and wet with dark red flesh. The head was as large as Barry told them it was with two big pits that appeared to be sunken dark eyes on the sides of its face. It sat patiently watching them. It was the source of the rotten meat stench that assaulted them when they first arrived.

Blade took a step closer to the building for a better look and the creature rose up, its mouth opening with a warning display of teeth. Triple rows of jagged triangular teeth. No wonder the vampires were being fucked up.

Kai moved slowly, raising up his cell phone to catch images of the beast. Blade slipped his hand inside his coat and slipped out a gun made for that moment.

"Come on, down," Blade whispered.

"Nah, you don't want that, Blade…oh shit!"

Two appendages raised up behind the creature and flaps of thick mottled skin spread open from them and the thing flew down to the ground in front of Blade.

Eight feet at least. The floppy penis-looking external flesh dangling between its legs made Blade think it was male. What looked and smelled like urine spurt out from the tip of a bulbous glans. Urine and excess blood. Vampire blood.

The excretion became a small river coursing its way to Blade and Kai's feet. The stench was worse than the creature's body odor.

Blade aimed his weapon and shot the creature in its massive chest.

"Run!" Blade shouted.

They both headed for the Charger, but Blade felt the claws of the thing sinking into his shoulders as he was lifted off of his feet and flown five feet in the air.

Kai shot his weapon, striking the creature. It shrieked and Blade grabbed for his shoulders, punching the hands that held him in a death grip. Swinging his body upwards, Blade used the heels of his boots to kick the face and caused the beast to fly off balance and crash into the side of the building.

Falling to the ground, Blade scrambled to his car while Kai kept shooting.

Popping the trunk, Blade pulled out a flame thrower and aimed it at the beast releasing fire that licked the feet and scared the creature away. They watched it flap it's massive wings up into the black sky until it was a speck.

"Got it all recorded," Kai panted holding up his cell to Blade.

They jumped into the car and Blade rubbed his shoulders. His body was quickly mending his wounds, but his coat was ruined. Swiping his fingers on the dash, he turned on a GPS tracker.

"I got it in," Blade said.

"Nice!"

They watched the equipment track the beast's flight path.

"It's heading East," Blade said.

"You okay?" Kai asked.

Blade moved his shoulders. He still bled but felt fine. The wounds stung like a bitch though. They were deep too.

"Healing," he said.

"Fear of fire is good to know. You want to go after it?"

"We'll follow and see where it lands."

Blade shifted gears and hit the pedal to the metal.

Progress at last.


	10. Turn to Dust

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Brooklyn starts her new job and faces a new change.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Enjoy!

"Hey, you're moving slow  
But I can't shake you off  
There's something for nothing  
What can I show for it  
You got my time and my body  
Might get my soul  
The thing on my mind is taking its toll  
I'm tired of trying  
I'm 'bout to walk out the door

One look at you and  
I turn to dust  
I turn to dust…"

Kelela – "Turn to Dust"

Brooklyn walked into her house and found her mother in the kitchen cooking.

"Where have you been?"

By the tone of Karen's voice, Brooklyn knew that she couldn't lie and say she had been at the hospital. Karen saw the shirt in her hand. Putting away a wooden stirring spoon for the spaghetti sauce she was fixing, Karen took the work shirt from her.

"You took the job after I said I'd think about it."

"I couldn't wait. They would've hired someone else. I hung out there today to get a feel for it. I like it. The staff is cool and the boss is cool."

"But it's at night."

"Just a few hours. Mommy, please. I want to work with Fauna. I need to be out of the house. I feel cooped up. And it'll help me not worry about Anderson too much."

Karen handed the shirt back to her.

"I will go to that shop tomorrow to check it out," Karen said.

"Remember, it's a goth shop. And the staff dresses up like monster movie characters. I interviewed with my real teeth. They like that I was in character as a pretend vampire."

She let her voice get hopeful.

"You'll keep repellant with you at all times," Karen said stirring salt and a pinch of sugar into her sauce.

"Yes."

"Full tank of gas in your scooter at all times."

"Yes."

"Any sign of any trouble—"

"I'll get ghost and never look back."

Karen stared at her.

"I'll go see it and then we can give it a try."

Brooklyn clenched her hands and bounced on her heels.

"Thank you, Mommy!"

She ran to her room and threw her new work shirt on her bed.

Dinner was pleasant, and she ate extra helpings of meatballs. Watching TV with Karen the rest of the night was relaxing, and she spent time telling her mother about all the weird and wacky things the shop sold.

The next day Brooklyn completed her online schooling and dressed for her first day of work. Karen had the day off and followed Brooklyn in her car as she drove her scooter to the shop. Karen had offered to drive and pick her up, but Brooklyn wanted to go on her own. She arrived an hour before her actual start time just so she could be with her mother when she checked out the store. Luckily, there were only humans working the evening shift at that time, so her mother was able to speak to her new co-workers and see the fake costume make-up they wore. Medja wasn't in, and Brooklyn was grateful.

Karen poked around the clothes, shocked at the prices, and shocked when she saw people paying money for items that she thought were too expensive. She said nothing about the risqué art upstairs, and when Fauna showed up excited to be working with Brooklyn, her mother relaxed. Fauna even sold her some cute crystal skeleton earrings.

After thirty minutes, Karen hugged Brooklyn.

"Call me before you leave, and come straight home," she said.

Brooklyn nodded and flashed a big smile. One that showed all her sharp teeth.

Once Karen was gone, Brooklyn relaxed.

Her first day of work was uneventful. She learned how to run the cash register and Fauna shadowed her as she did transactions. Medja swept in later in the night, counting receipts and checking stocks. She was disappointed when he left early wanting so badly to talk to him during her first break. When the employee shift change came and went, she noticed the clientele also shifted. Fauna kept her in the loop, but Brooklyn's senses were acute and she knew right away when something imitating humans came in trying to be discreet while shopping.

She also caught sight of another full-blood vampire, a white man with dark curls and a white human female familiar that made him buy her a ton of leather halters and two pairs of exotic boots. When he approached the counter, he immediately stared at Brooklyn. He smiled at her openly, his teeth discolored a dull yellow that made his pale slightly wrinkled skin look even whiter. He was old. An ancient.

"You're new," he said handing her an American Express card.

"We have the new chip reader, so you can just put your card there," she said pointing to the machine and handing him his card back.

"Okay."

"I just started today," she said.

Fauna bagged up the items for him.

"Nice to see a fresh face around here," he said.

His familiar grabbed her bagged clothes, and Brooklyn caught a full look at the woman's eyes. They seemed bloodshot and the skin around her neck seemed to be filled with red blotches.

Brooklyn stuck the receipt inside the bag and let her eyes roam back to the full blood. He was so interested in her. He knew what she was.

"Well, until next time…Brooklyn," he said staring at her name badge.

He walked out with his familiar, and Fauna gave a huge sigh.

"Ugh, he creeps me out. The really old ones always do," Fauna said.

"Why?"

"You can't trust them. They like to toy with humans and others, and sometimes they aren't nice about it. Kind of extra predatory, and not for food. He's been a regular shopper, and Medja said to keep an eye on him if he lingers. He spends a lot of money here, but he also hunts. That girl used to be one of our regular customers too, but he scooped her up."

"She looked weird too."

"He's turning her. When their eyes look like that and they get those faint vein lines on their necks, it means they are in process."

"Is Amir ancient? Anyone in his house?"

"No. They are young. Like for real young, like us. Devra is the oldest and she's only twenty-two. Amir is Twenty."

"He looks mature. Older than that."

Fauna nodded.

The hours went by quickly, and before she knew it, she was back on her scooter heading home.

Karen greeted her with a vanilla and strawberry frosted cupcake.

"Congratulations on the first day of your first job," she said.

Brooklyn felt proud of herself. She shared her day with her mother and omitted any mentions of non-humans who shopped. Her schedule for the next day started at five in the evening. Medja was kind enough to switch Fauna's schedule so they could work together again.

Slipping into her room, Brooklyn called the hospital to talk to Anderson. His mother answered the phone and told her that he was asleep. She held her cell on her lap feeling disappointed. She wanted to share her day with Anderson, but he did a lot of sleeping with his pain meds.

Work on the next day consisted of Brooklyn learning inventory and working the floor. Medja was a stickler for a polished shop, so everything was cleaned from top to bottom. When the store grew less busy, Medja had her follow him to his office.

"You did well yesterday," he said.

"Thanks."

"So…"

He sat back in his desk chair with the whites of his eyes unreadable at that moment.

"So?"

"You have questions. For me?"

The slant of his lips looked playful.

"I do. But I don't want to be rude."

"Wanting to know about me is not being rude."

"This is my first job. It's my first time really being out among people. My mother, she keeps me home. A lot. I'm homeschooled, so I don't know a lot about other…"

Her eyes regarded Medja and he held his hands folded in front of himself.

"You can say it, Brooklyn. Others. Non-humans. Non-vampires."

"Yeah. It's hard not to stare at people sometimes, other types of people in the store. It's all new to me. You're new to me."

"I am a Dedwen. My people come from the old continent where Nubian culture once flourished. There aren't a lot of us here in this country, not anymore anyway."

"Your eyes…how can you see without….sorry. I feel weird asking that."

"Don't be. I can see very well and a lot more than you or humans. I can see the physical presence of you, and I can see energy patterns that let me know mood, health,…intent."

"Your girlfriend, she's a Sylph. You can have interspecies relations?"

"Your parents did."

"But she can turn into smoke…air. That's a lot different as far as anatomy."

He smiled.

"The anatomy works."

"Have you been with a human?"

"Yes."

"What do you like to eat?"

He laughed and Brooklyn turned her head from looking at him directly.

"Sorry. I'm giving you an interview. I should get back on the floor."

"You're fine. I'm curious though. Why does your mother keep you sheltered?"

"She's human. We were attacked by turned vampires when I was younger and ever since then, she's kept me…hidden. I have online friends, and one human friend who…"

Thinking of Anderson, Brooklyn felt a sadness come over her.

"I have one human friend that I hang out with, and I have Fauna."

"Ah, yes. Fauna. Good girl. Looks like a great friend too."

She smiled wide.

"The best. She's my first female friend that I've gotten to be around all the time. She means a lot to me."

"Brooklyn, the world is small, but it is also very big. There are all kinds of beings co-existing with humans covertly. Many shop here. Many use this place as a haven. Since you are not a human, I can tell you that there will be times when we have to close up and it's not for inventory. That's all I will say about that for now."

She studied his face. His words were ominous but not ominous enough to make her want to quit. If anything, it sounded evasive and a need to know when it was time to know feeling was behind it.

He stood up and opened the office door for her.

"Time for you to get back to the floor."

"Can I talk to you again sometime?"

"Sure."

Brooklyn moved past him and walked down the steps.

"All good?" Fauna asked when Brooklyn walked over to the front registers.

"Yeah. He's cool."

"Yep."

"Do you ever work on the nights when they close the store early…and not for inventory?"

Fauna stared at her hard.

"He told you about that?"

"He mentioned it."

"I can't talk to you about it. Medja has to tell you himself."

"It's that serious?"

"Yeah."

Fauna's eyes looked away from Brooklyn and she fussed with some shopping bags under the counter.

Wandering away from the registers, Brooklyn returned to the middle racks and organized steampunk-inspired dress shirts by size and color. Curiosity seized hold of her mind. Fauna was always gossipy in a way, but to see her so tight-lipped had Brooklyn itching to find out what went down in the store.

Within weeks, Brooklyn had the hang of things, learned the ebb and flow of customers and her mother finally relaxed when nothing sketchy befell her riding her scooter home at night. Between work and preparing to graduate from high school, Brooklyn finally felt like a regular teenager.

That didn't last long.

A month after taking the job, Anderson was sent home.

Terminal.

The joy she had in sharing the secret world of Dark Threads & Collectibles with Anderson withered away. It grew worse when he asked her to do the unthinkable.

Wrapped up in blankets, his skin thin and sallow, Anderson stared deep into Brooklyn's eyes as she held his hand on his bed at home.

"Turn me."

Brooklyn felt her eyes well up.

"I don't know how," she confessed.

"Just bite me…drink from me. I can be with you forever."

His voice was reed-thin, and it took a lot of energy out of him to do so. She tried to put his breathing mask back on his face to help, but he pushed it away.

"I might drink too much and kill you."

"I can't take this pain anymore…please. Drink from me. I can either live like you, or I can die in peace. Help me."

Three teardrops plopped onto her hand from her eyes. She pressed her face onto his bed next to his covered thigh.

"Brooklyn…"

She raised her head to look at him. He raised his left arm for her.

"Take the blood from here, the chemo scars will cover up your teeth marks."

"You don't know what you're asking—"

He shut his eyes and she saw his frail body shudder.

"Please…"

Thin tears fell from his lids.

Her poor, sweet Anderson.

"You should see your parents—"

"No. I can't take them…I can't deal with their…guilt…they think they failed me. Do it now. I hurt so much…"

Brooklyn buried her face on his thin chest,

"I love you. I don't want you to go. I don't want this for you—"

"You love me?"

She nodded her head and wiped her eyes.

"I love you," she said.

He held up his arm.

"Do it now."

He grimaced.

"Do it before my mother comes back in here."

She held his arm gently. Admitting to herself that she had briefly considered doing it months before he went downhill couldn't be ignored. But she didn't know how to turn anyone. She didn't think it was a simple bloodletting. She thought of the full-blood that came to the store with his familiar. Fauna said that ancient was in the process of turning his human female. Could it happen as a one and done?

His eyes pleaded with her, and he looked so skeletal in the soft bedroom lighting. She wasn't ready to let him go. But her love for him and what he wanted her to do was greater than her need to hold onto him while he suffered.

She kissed his dry cracked lips and stroked his soft bald head.

The odor of blood through his thin skin made her salivate once she relaxed the human side of herself and allowed the vampire instinct to kick in. Fangs plunging into the old scars in his arm brought forth the savory-sweet taste of blood and she greedily sucked, blinded by the surge of pleasure she took from doing it.

She stopped.

"We should wait now," she said.

"Keep going," he begged.

Soft gasps escaped his lips and she forgot about him as the liquid food coursed down her throat sending her into a feeding frenzy. She stopped sucking on his arm when the blood tasted different, tasted…lifeless.

"Anderson?"

Bringing her face close to his, Anderson's eyes were closed and his face looked peaceful. She touched his chest trying to feel a heartbeat and there was none. He smelled…gone.

She clung to his hand and sat with his cooling body for half an hour.

Waiting.

Nothing changed. He was dead. She had killed him.

Gathering her belongings, she tried to keep her pain of loss quiet. She didn't want to be caught with him. Hugging him one last time, she snuck out of his bedroom window and fled to her house.

Curled up on her bed, she wept all night, waiting for two things to happen: Anderson to wake up a vampire, or a phone call to let her know he was gone.

###

"Brooklyn…honey…wake up."

Brooklyn turned over and her blurry eyes focused on her mother's face.

"Mommy…what…?"

"Anderson passed away."

Her mother's eyes were swollen and red and it was easy for Brooklyn to burst out with a wailing moan. It didn't work. He didn't turn.

Karen hugged Brooklyn and rocked her as the strong release of tears and moans left her body.

"I am so sorry. I'm just so glad you were able to be with him last night."

It took a long time to console Brooklyn and when she was finally able to calm down, her mother went to make her tea.

Snatching up her phone from her nightstand, she texted Fauna and let her know the news. The cell rang back immediately.

"I'm so sorry! I'll be right there!" Fauna said.

Within thirty minutes, Fauna was curled up next to her holding her hand in the living room. From the living room window, they could see the parade of cars and visitors to the house next door for over five hours. Karen called Dark Threads & Collectibles and told an assistant manager that Brooklyn had a death in the family.

When she saw Anderson's bandmates arrive outside The Bushida home, she grabbed Fauna's hand and headed out of the door.

"Brooklyn, hold on," Karen said.

Her mother went into her bedroom and when she returned, she held out a lavender envelope.

"Could you give this to Anderson's parents?"

"Sure. Thanks," Brooklyn said.

Karen hugged her.

"Thank you for being here, Fauna," Karen said.

"You're welcome, Miss Karen."

Fauna's beautiful face made Brooklyn feel confident about going next door.

The house was full of relatives and friends and Brooklyn quickly gave her condolences to Anderson's mother while giving her the sympathy card. Mrs. Bushida hugged her and put the card next to a large picture of Anderson that sat on the large coffee table in the den.

"Brooklyn!"

Greg, Anderson's bass player, gave her a huge hug. She did the same for the three other band members who looked just as distraught as Brooklyn felt.

"This is my friend, Fauna," Brooklyn said introducing the guys to her.

Being in the house of mourning made Brooklyn's skin crawl. She wanted to run away from the space. Her eyes couldn't even look in the direction of Anderson's bedroom.

Greg and the rest of the band lingered for an hour and then they all walked outside to get air. Brooklyn and Fauna followed them.

Greg's pale freckled face was wet with tears.

"This is so fucked up," Greg said.

Two of the bandmates shared a cigarette.

"You know what's crazy? We got an email last night saying that we had been chosen to perform at the Joshua Tree Music Fest next May. We finally make it and now, he's gone," Greg said.

"You guys should still play there," Brooklyn urged.

"No. It doesn't feel right. Not without him," said Byron, the drummer. His hair was styled in a cut that Anderson used to wear before his chemo took it all away.

"How soon will they have the funeral?" asked Vince, their keyboard player.

"He's going to be cremated. No funeral. Maybe a memorial service in a month. That's what he…that's what Anderson told me," Brooklyn said.

Her lip trembled. Fauna held her hand.

"I'ma go home now. I need…"

She couldn't get the words out.

The guys all gave her hugs and walked to the car they rode in. She watched them drive away with Fauna by her side.

The rest of the day was solemn. Fauna went to work and Brooklyn was allowed to have the weekend off for mourning. She didn't want the time off, but her mother insisted. Sitting in her room again, Brooklyn tried to imagine a world without Anderson in it. How could she look at his house without crying or feeling pain in her stomach for what she had done? He was gone because of her. He didn't die a natural death. She took the little bit of life he had left away from him. The guilt ate at her core.

Not only the guilt though.

She touched her lips, slipped her finger onto her tongue, and shuddered at the memory of drinking his blood.

The taste.

She longed for the taste again.

"Mommy, I'm going for a walk."

She grabbed a light sweater and pulled it on. Grabbing the dog leash, she called Bootsey and put on his dog harness to walk him.

Heading North toward Venice Boulevard, she allowed her mind to wander, but her eyes watched the humans around her. Her nose took in the enticing aroma of blood beneath their skin. Mouth watering, her blood thrumming in her veins, and a deep hunger rising in her belly, the surge of predatory impulses pushed Brooklyn to follow a few humans as she walked her dog. It grew dark, and Brooklyn found herself trailing a young white man walking in a t-shirt and joggers, oblivious to her tracking him as he listened to the music in his earbuds.

He stopped at a light, and Brooklyn stepped next to him. He looked down at Bootsey and smiled.

"Nice looking pit," he said.

The veins in his neck looked inviting.

Eyes darting around, Brooklyn saw that there were no traffic cameras and no other people around. Traffic was barely there, and they both stood at a red walk light. It would be so easy…

Bootsey growled and yanked on his leash, pulling Brooklyn away from the man.

"Stop it!" she yelled, tugging hard on the leash.

The jogger frowned and stared at Brooklyn's face. She glared at him.

The man ran off before the light turned green, a full-on sprint for his life. She meandered around the block searching for another human but eventually made her way back home. Releasing Bootsey into the yard, she walked into the bathroom to wash her hands.

Staring at her face in the mirror, she knew why the man ran for his life.

Her eyes were glowing.

And she was hungry.


	11. Addicted

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Brooklyn thinks Amir has warmed up to her, and Blade takes a chance confronting an enemy.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Enjoy!

"He's so contagious  
Returns my pages  
He's got me anxious  
He's what I waited for  
He keeps me guessin'  
Spontaneous  
He's so persuasive  
And I'm his lady…"

Truth Hurts—"Addictive"

Any and all things could happen on Hollywood Boulevard and not a soul would blink an eye. Millions flocked to get a taste of the real grimy land of movie making and star searching, and the streets in Hollywood every weekend was the place to get lost as well as found.

Brooklyn stood in the hollow space that separated two bars. She was on the side street of North Cherokee Avenue only three blocks from her job, and her evening break led her to feed on a tourist who swiped a meter with his credit card right before Brooklyn grabbed him and hustled him into the gap of a small bar and grill next to an older vintage bar.

Stumbling and slightly inebriated, the dingy blonde-haired twenty-something pushed back from Brooklyn in confusion. It didn't take long for her to use seduction to temper his disorientation.

"Oh, I'm sorry, I thought you were a friend of mine," she purred.

Looking her over, a shy smile crept over his tanned face.

"No problem," he said.

She pushed up on him.

"Hmmm, you're cuter than my friend. Are you hanging out at one of the bars around here?"

"Meeting some friends. Excuse me," he said.

She took a step back, but he didn't rush past her. His eyes were glued to hers.  
"I can show you some cool places," she hissed.

Her voice charmed him and he hesitated about leaving her. She tossed back her braids and let him see the cleavage in her t-shirt. His rosy lips parted. He looked Scandinavian and very horny at that moment. He reminded her of a cute Viking on an old tv show she used to watch. What was that guy's name? Ragnar. Yeah. Ragnar the Viking.

His eyes roamed over her body and she knew she had him. She had to be quick. Her break would be over soon. Eat, knock him out, and leave him lying woozy in the gap.

His blood smelled so good. He probably tasted delicious.

She fucked up then, her teeth gleaming openly with the thought of drinking from his neck. For a second a dreamy expression clouded his face because of her voice, but the moment he saw her fangs, he reacted as if he was frantically breaking the surface of deep water after nearly drowning. His eyes grew big and he gasped.

She pounced on him.

Yanking his hair, she brought his neck to her lips and bit down hard and sucked fast. He struggled against her, but she was much stronger and faster than him. His flailing grew weak and when she felt that his heart was about to give out, she released him and shoved his body further back so he was hidden from street view. Licking her fingers and making sure her face was clean, she rushed out of the gap and walked with confident strides back toward Dark Threads & Collectibles.

The feeding made her high and when she strolled into the shop feeling frisky and rejuvenated, Amir caught her off guard as he watched her come in. He stood at the top of the second-floor stairs. She sensed that he was not alone, could smell another full-blood nearby, but tried ignoring him when he walked down the steps slowly, his eyes still on her. She was working in the jewelry section in the back for the week with a Latinx human named Adrian who liked dressing his face up like he was a Clive Barker Hellraiser creation. His face was lightly decorated with acupuncture pins and his black lipstick made his white powdered face look even paler.

"Break did you wonders," Adrian said.

Brooklyn grinned at him until Raphael walked up to the counter.

"Hey Diamond," he said.

Raphael looked down at the display case.

"I want to check out those small finger rings, I want some for my knuckles," he said.

"Which ones?" she asked.

He pointed to an expensive set of silver rings posted on black velvet. She pulled them out and propped them on the top of the counter for him. He tried on a few.

"I like these," he said holding up his right hand where he placed three rings above the knuckles of his pinky, index, and ring finger.

"Silver looks good on you," she said.

"Try the gold," Adrian said pulling out another set of rings.

"That one is ugly. Too gaudy," she said pulling a gold band with spikes from Raphael's thumb.

Her eyes caught Amir standing near a display of coats. The girl who normally worked that section was on her dinner break. Amir looked annoyed.

"Be right back," she said, leaving Adrian to assist Raphael.

"Need some help?"

She stood with her arms behind her back as she faced Amir. His eyes glanced at her.

"Are these the new Sanchii coats?"

"No, those are over here."

She walked toward a display further away and he followed. His eyes glanced up at the floating wall display.

"Need anything else?"

"No. I'm good."

She nodded and walked back to her section. He was nice on this visit.

She had seen Amir twice before in the store and each time he was dismissive and ignored her. But this time, he needed a little help and she gave it. His voice was even pleasant. She kept her eyes on him as she finished helping Raphael choose five rings. He paid eight hundred dollars cash and joined Amir in the Sanchii couture section.

Her eyes couldn't stay off of him as she watched him try on several coats. Each one made him look impressive. Sexy.

"Aye, Diamond, come here!"

Raphael waved his hand at her.

Three women lingered near Amir and Raphael as Brooklyn approached them.

"Give us your honest opinion," Raphael said.

Amir rolled his eyes as he stared at himself in a full-length mirror.

"That looks amazing on you," a wispy-looking brunette said hovering around the racks of coats with her equally waif-like friends. Their make-up was strong and ready for clubbing and heavy selfie-taking. Amir took in their faces and turned back to the mirror.

Brooklyn admired the hip-length coat. It was dark blue leather with hard chain metal accents. She stuck her hand in the racks and flipped through several choices until she found the right one. Pulling it out she showed it to Amir. His eyes gazed at her from the mirror.

"This is the one. You look good in knee-length coats. If you are going out to impress, you should pick this. Form-fitting. Flairs out at the waist. A mixture of frost and eggshell white. Silver accents embedded in the threading…"

Amir took off the coat he had on and handed it to Raphael. She unfastened the silver and bone horn toggles on the new coat and opened it up. She helped him put it on and moved to the front of him. She slid her fingers from the bottom of the coat to the top fastening the toggles back up. Popping the collar for him, she stood back to give him room.

"Now that is a coat. This is the one," she uttered admiring him. Her eyes looked up to his face and the way he stared at her gave her goosebumps. He studied her face with severe concentration.

"That is a fucking look, nigga!" Raphael chirped, holding his fist to his mouth as he admired the coat.

Brooklyn stepped aside even more so he could look at himself in the full-length mirror. His eyes danced with satisfaction.

The three women watching murmured their approval.

"Could you help us find something cool like that?" the brunette asked.

"Sure."

Brooklyn took the opportunity to leave Amir and Raphael. She led the ladies to the women's section and another Sanchii display. They oohed and ahhed a few selections she picked out until the girl who worked those sections returned from her break. Brooklyn sauntered past Amir and he looked at her for once like she was a real person and not a half-caste pest.

She smirked to herself as she put away rings and helped another customer try on necklaces. Medja walked in and caught Amir at the front register buying the coat Brooklyn chose for him. All she could think was that Amir's family must have money because that Sanchii coat was four thousand dollars.

New coat draped over his arm, Amir followed Medja to the inventory room. Raphael came back to her counter.

"My boy is happy with that coat. Good call."

"I know clothes. And I know what looks good on him…"

Her eyes grew wide when the words slipped out. Raphael gloated.

"He may hire you as his stylist. I'll put in a good word for you," he said.

Raphael hung out and shot the shit with her and Adrian, making her laugh as he judged people coming in and out of the store. When it was time for her to clock out, he asked for her phone number. She gave it to him.

"Just so you know, I have a girlfriend," he said.

"Okay. I wasn't thinking this was a hookup," she said with a little attitude.

"Of course not. Amir is who you want."

Her mouth fell open. He closed it for her.

"I'll call you sometime and we can gossip again," he said.

She liked Raphael. He was wide open, super-nice, and genuinely funny to talk to. He wasn't what she thought a full-blood would be like. He was young and energetic like her.

"I would like that," she said.

The twinkle in his eye made her heart open. He reminded her of Anderson with that infectious friendly energy.

"Hey…Diamond…tears?"

Raphael touched her arm.

"What's wrong?"

"You remind me of someone I lost recently."

Raphael's eyes softened, the twinkling now showing compassion.

"I'm sorry," he said.

She wiped her eyes.

"Time for me to clock out. Call me," she said,

Brushing past him she went to the employee break room and grabbed her backpack and scooter helmet. Heading out through the backdoor exit that led to an alley parking area, she sat on her scooter and texted her mother that she was on her way home.

Jetting around the corner after checking other messages and social media, she sat waiting at a red light, her mind easing over Anderson's memory. One day soon, she hoped, she would think of him and not cry.

Waiting for the light to change, the loud growl of two motorcycles rumbled behind her. Her scooter vibrated from the closeness and one of the bikers pulled up next to her.

"Nice putt putt, Diamond!"

Looking behind her, she saw Raphael on a tricked out blue Kawasaki Ninja. To her right, Amir on the same ride except his was a sleek oil-slick black with silver trim. He wore the coat he bought and his black helmet visor was up. He eyed her scooter and laughed. She felt humbled sitting on her light blue Sport 150, no better than a fancy moped.

Self-conscious, she tried to focus on the street light turning green.

"Cute ride," Amir said.

She looked over at him and the light turned green. Lifting up his feet, he shot down the street with Raphael behind him.

It took a car honking behind her to get her to move.

Cute bike. And he smiled when he said it.

Brooklyn floated all the way home.

###

Blade watched the full-blood Tewahedo sip from a small espresso cup inside an upscale restaurant on the West side of Wilshire Boulevard. She was alone, dressed for a night on the town, and not in a rush to leave. Two months of careful observation and Blade was done with all the speculation.

He swept into the restaurant bypassing an anxious hostess and took the empty seat directly across from Tewahedo. Her eyes narrowed, but then she sipped from her cup. She had the best and most discreet seat in the house.

"Tewahedo," he said.

A waiter brought Blade a menu. He waved his hand.

"Just give me your best steak rare with a glass of Les Trois Bouchons," he said.

His eyes went up and down her entire presentation to the world. Classy. Sophisticated. Clothing nouveau vintage chic. Lavender high-collared lace blouse with priceless lilac diamonds dripping from her ears neck and fingers. Her photos did her no justice.

"You know who I am?" he asked.

She put down her cup and regarded him with deep interest. Her thick dark hair was pulled into a stylish chignon.

"I believe I do know who you are. The Day Walker. Correct?"

"Bingo."

"What do you want Day Walker?"

She wasn't afraid of him. He thought she looked amused by his boldness.

"A little conversation. Why are your people moving into the city?"

"Good neighborhoods and good schools to raise children."

"You and your new husband are planning a family?"

"Just because you have been spying on me doesn't mean we aren't aware of you, Day Walker. I'm surprised it took you this long to approach me. It's been overdue. I thought you might be afraid of me."

A new waiter brought over a bowl of soup that smelled of seasoned blood. Clearly, something made just for her and not on the regular menu. His nose flared. It smelled good.

"Not too late to change your order. The soupe du sang is quite delicious."

She dipped her soup spoon into the steaming crimson liquid and held it up to his mouth. He turned his head slightly.

"You're missing out," she said bringing the spoon to her lips and blowing on it.

He watched her eat until another waiter brought his nearly raw steak. The prime cut of beef sat in a pool of warm blood. His wine was presented to him and he drank before cutting a piece of the meat and eating it. His mouth watered from the rawness. He took two small bites and stopped.

"You and the police have no issues with us—"

"Bodies are lining up…cops don't like their kind being slaughtered—"

"And you assume it is us? You should know better…Blade. Our House is old, connected, and prefer to remain off the radar. Why would we start trouble to bring trouble to our doorstep? I thought you were smarter than that. I'm too grown for that."

"One hundred and twenty to be exact."

"A young adult in our world."

"Some would say ancient."

"Ha!"

Her fingers went up to her plump lips as she chortled.

"Only to humans would my age seem old. Your kind is so funny."

"I don't have a kind."

"I can smell the human on you from here. The stench is palpable."

The knuckle of her right index finger touched her nose lightly before she finished her espresso.

He took off his shades. Their eyes met and hers flickered for a moment when she saw the glow in his dark golden-brown orbs. The night shifted. He could see her own eyes changing to adjust to the minuscule changes of the evening light.

"Your beef is with those vampire killers, not us."

"You aren't afraid to be walking around alone at night with those things flying around?"

"Those things attack in places that are not heavily trafficked by humans. Being around your kind gives us a buffer in dense populations. It seems those creatures understand discretion also."

She pushed back her empty bowl.

As haughty as she came off in the beginning, she loosened up after her meal was eaten. He decided to take his time with her.

"You can follow me, track my people as much as you want, but you won't find us attacking police or stacking up bodies. We have a supply of live human food. We don't roam the streets like packs of dogs to eat low quality meat. Do I look like I feed on some dirty street or back alley?"

The sneer on her face made him believe her.

"What about your husband's people? Maybe the House he comes from is not as humane as your family."

Her eyes darted to the side and a waiter stepped forward.

"Bring us two orders of gâteau au chocolat rouge," she said.

Her eyes returned to Blade's. He warmed up to her even though he didn't want to.

"Let me make this crystal clear for you, Blade. Me and my people are not your problem. How was the wine?"

"Excellent."

She ordered a glass for herself and when the chocolate blood cake arrived, he indulged knowing he would have to up his dosage of serum to help suppress the desire for more.

"Do you plan on killing me when I walk out of here?"

Tewahedo wiped her lips with a beige cloth napkin. Her eyes were full of distrust.

"I'm here to collect information. You are a threat—"

"I'm a threat? You have to be joking—"

"Your sister. Queen Tifawt…"

"Hmmm. I see."

"Is she here?"

"Like I would tell you that. You didn't answer my question. Do you plan on killing me?"

"If I wanted you dead, then you would be dead right now."

"A courtesy call then. A warning. You want me to get word back to my family that you are on our asses."

"I want a word with your sister."

"You must be high!"

Her head tilted back and the laughter she let loose sounded like dainty bells. He didn't like the fact that he was intrigued by her. He also didn't like the way she looked at him. She appeared interested in him too.

"This has been a pleasant introduction Day Walker. But my time is precious and I will be on my way. I'll relay your little message. You have put a line in the sand. I get it."

She stood up and threw a dark purple wrap around her shoulders.

"You can pay for the meal since you invited yourself to it," she said.

He watched her walk away strait-backed with her nose in the air.

Blade paid the bill in cash, a lot of cash, and followed after the woman.

She didn't go far.

Standing at a bus stop he was shocked to see her not being swarmed by security or at least one bodyguard or familiar. She was unescorted. Out in the open.

It began to rain.

Tewahedo lifted part of her wrap and used it to cover her hair.

She was throwing him off by acting so...normal.

Blade watched her as she stood alone getting wet.

Her body turned slightly to check the bus schedule, and when she turned back, she caught him watching her. She put a hand on her hip and took a step toward him.

"Now I have to suffer the indignity of you stalking me out in the o—"

The stench came before Blade saw the creature, and it was too late.

It knocked Tewahedo into the bus stop before sinking its claws into her chest…

###

The text came as Brooklyn brushed her teeth for the night.

Her mother was out on a blind date with a man her co-worker set her up with, a nice-looking Black man who worked for a Solar energy company in Santa Clarita.

Bored at home, the late text from Fauna was a welcome disruption from that boredom. She had watched enough streaming television to make her mind numb.

The text was simple.

An address. Along with the words, Come Right Now!

It was only eight at night. Still early. Karen wouldn't be back for a long time. It was dinner and a movie and that took time.

Brooklyn changed into comfortable clothes that looked cute, but not too dressy. Checking on Bootsy, she left him a snack of crumbled hamburger meat in his bowl to keep him quiet as she slipped out to the garage to get her scooter.

Her hands felt sweaty and she talked herself down from being nervous.

Parking her scooter right next to the porch of the address she was given, she looked around the street. Peaceful. Unassuming.

Quiet.

Taking a deep breath, she knocked on the front door.

The vampire with the tight eyes answered.

What was her name again? Tionne.

"I was permitted to come over," Brooklyn said softly.

Tionne pulled the door open wider.

"Come in."


	12. Mortal

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Brooklyn finally gets a look at a vampire House and Blade could find himself in deep trouble with other vampires...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Trying to get through these chapters fast!

"So tell me what it is  
I'm running outta options  
Lowering my defense  
Trying to make sense  
You make it easy

And your waves pull me deep underwater  
I'm getting weak at the thought  
Fall to my knees here's my offer  
You know I am just a mortal"

Baby Rose – "Mortal"

The house was immaculate.

Although the outside was old Victorian splendor, the inside was heavily modern with a few kitschy throwbacks to the 70s with multicolored door beads, red bean bags, and a black velvet zodiac sign painting that hung above the fireplace.

Music was playing from hidden speakers and Raphael was dancing around with a game controller in his hand. The vampire with the big teeth and emerald eyes held another controller and focused her attention on kicking his ass on a projected video game that took up half the living room wall.

Tionne flopped down on a gray couch and stared at Brooklyn. Two other male vampires sat on bean bags on the floor smoking tightly rolled cigarillos that smelled like nothing she had encountered before.

A thin doe-eyed vampire walked up to her.

"Hi. I'm Bailey," the girl said.

"Brooklyn."

"Blaise."

"Marco"

The two other males gave their names to her and the one named Marco handed her his cigarillo. She took it.

"Weed?" she asked.

Blaise shook his head.

"These trees are stronger, made for us," he said.

"You don't have to smoke it if you don't want to," Bailey said taking the cigarillo from her hand and giving it back to Blaise.

"I'll try it," Brooklyn said.

Blaise gave it back to her and she took a puff.

"Take it in deep," Marco said.

She did, holding it down in her lungs. Blowing it out she saw the girl with the green eyes glaring at her.

"What's your name?" Brooklyn asked, annoyed that the full-blood was just staring and less welcoming than the others.

"Patra."

The voice was curt. Not happy about her presence there.

"This my girl, Diamond," Raphael said giving Patra a sloppy kiss on her cheek.

"Stop calling her that," Patra said focusing her attention back on the game.

Brooklyn stood in the room waiting for something more profound to happen.

"Is there going to be a meeting or something?" she asked.

"A meeting?"

Bailey's nose crinkled and her head tilted.

"I was invited over—"

"Relax, D. It's all good. You were permitted to hang with us. There's nothing formal to it."  
"Amir acted like it was a big deal."  
"It is a big deal," Patra said handing her controller to Marco, "we don't normally allow dirty bloods—"

"Patra, chill with that," Raphael said.

Dirty bloods?

It was Brooklyn's turn to glare back.

"Where's Fauna at? Amir?"

"Upstairs. Second floor," Tionne said. She sounded bored.

Bailey stepped closer to her.

"Would you like a blood pack? We aren't going out until later, so if you're hungry…"

"I'm going to check in with Amir."

"C'mon," Bailey said.

Bailey took her hand and pulled her toward the wide grain-colored carpeted stairs.

"Patra can be a bitch, but she's just territorial, especially with Raphael. She doesn't like that you are friends with him," Bailey said.

The stairs led to a second floor that split in two directions. Bailey led them to the left side and they entered a room that was made like a den. Bailey walked in and crawled onto a large mauve sectional couch and picked up a remote control to flip the channel on a flatscreen TV. Brooklyn paused at the door and was stunned that Bailey would bring her in that space while Amir had Fauna bent over the sectional fucking her from behind.

Naked, sweaty, and hunched down over Fauna's back, Amir was getting it in.

His hands cradled Fauna's overflowing breasts, the tips of his fingers pinching her stiff dark nipples.

"Shut your fucking mouth," Amir barked in Fauna's ear before he snaked his tongue along the shell and bit it, making her bleed.

Fauna's eyes were rolled back, her lustful pants just as loud as the sound of Amir's dick thrusting in and out of her pussy. The hard slaps of their bodies and the raw intimacy they were sharing didn't match the easy-going and relaxed expression on Bailey's face as she watched the flatscreen.

"Come sit down," Bailey said patting a space next to her.

Brooklyn's arousal was immediate, but within that arousal was also the sharp pang of jealousy. Fauna never said anything about having a sexual relationship with Amir. They both squealed over him and talked about what they found sexy about him when he visited Dark Threads & Collectibles, but her bestie never mentioned any type of physical history.

She wanted to leave, tried to force her feet to back up, and vacate the room.

"Sit down," Bailey said again.

The girl watched Brooklyn and then she glanced over at Amir and Fauna.

"Don't trip, they do what they do," Bailey said with a grin on her face.

Amir shifted his body away from Fauna's back and yanked on her right horn as he pounded harder into her. His body was everything Brooklyn imagined and more, especially his dick. The length and thickness made her legs shake, and the way Fauna was carrying on with the sound coming from her pussy, Brooklyn knew there was great satisfaction in being with him.

"Your pussy is so good, Fauna! Fuck!"

Amir gave her long strokes, both his hands gripping her horns.

"Good ass pussy…"

Amir's grunts compelled Brooklyn to go sit next to Bailey who seemed bored by the act.

Amir's eyes caught Brooklyn's and he didn't change a stroke as he pumped hard and deep inside her friend. Her eyes dropped down to Fauna who looked right at her, but couldn't see her, her half-lidded unfocused stare lost in good dick.

Brooklyn touched her face. It was hot and there was heat creeping down between her legs.

"Cum in my pusssyyyyy…!"

Fauna moaned so loud that it made Brooklyn look away for a second.

"I know you want this cum."

"Yes!"

His hands shot down to her breasts again where he lifted them and bounced the heavy weight against each other. The smacking of titties and the pounding of pussy made Brooklyn squirm.

"Give me all this fat pussy. Cream all over me!"

His words had Brooklyn hypnotized.

"Cum for me! Please, Amir! Cum in my pussy!"

Amir yanked her horns back harder and bit into Fauna's neck, marking her before his eyes locked with Brooklyn's. His face was mean, sexy, and his lips curled into a rough fanged scowl as he ejaculated into Fauna.

Those big breasts smacked together louder as Amir kept thrusting and cumming. A roar rushed out of his throat that made Brooklyn jump up and finally leave the room. Her fingers gripped the railing as she made her way back down to the living room.

Blaise and Marco played the video game while Tionne watched them. She was stunned to see Raphael sprawled out on a loveseat with his jeans down to his ankles while Patra rode his dick fully naked.

What the fuck?

"What's wrong?"

Bailey touched Brooklyn's arm.

"I'm just not used to seeing that so out in the open," Brooklyn said, trying not to sound like a square.

"Oh."

Bailey looked over at Raphael and Patra.

"That's just how it is. When you want to eat, you just eat. When you want to have sex, you just have sex. Doesn't matter where or who sees it."

"You guys don't believe in privacy? Stuff that's intimate like that…"

She shook her head. These were people different from humans. Their rules and norms were different.

"You could join them if you want. They are still at it upstairs. You can see if Amir will take you."

"Are you for real?"

"Yes."

"Patra!"

Raphael shouted his release, and Brooklyn watched his legs shake as Patra rocked on him enjoying her orgasm.

The aroma of sex clung to her. Brooklyn walked back up the stairs and sauntered to the den.

Amir had Fauna on her back and Brooklyn watched his balls smash into jiggling cheeks that handled the strokes he gave. He was piping her raw, and Brooklyn could see cum spilling out of Fauna's stretched folds.

Amir's scent made her feel weak and needy. She was compelled to touch him, kiss him, do anything to get his attention and affection.

She crept up to him and touched his hair.

Turning his head to look at her, Brooklyn saw nothing but a hungering lust to keep fucking in his eyes, she moved closer and let her fingers touch his neck. The spell was broken. Amir reached up and shoved her away. The force made her tumble onto the sectional. He threw Fauna's legs over his biceps and stared at her pussy as he came inside her again. Brooklyn watched his dick jump as it pumped more semen into her friend.

When he was done, he dropped Fauna's legs and walked away from her. His dick glistened with cum and Fauna's pussy juice as it swung between his firm thighs.

Fauna gasped for air, her body drenched in sweat and fluids, and her left hand fell over her eyes. Her breasts were covered in cum and bleeding bite marks.

Brooklyn wanted to punch her.

She slapped her instead.

Fauna jumped up grabbing her face in shock.

"Why did you do that?"

"You should've told me you and him were a thing. You know I was…you never said…I wouldn't have come here if I knew it was just going to be an orgy over here."

Fauna kept rubbing her face as tears welled up in her eyes. Brooklyn felt her own eyes itching to cry.

"I didn't need to see this!"

Bailey crept into the room with Tionne.

"Are you two okay?" Bailey asked.

"Bitch, do I look okay?!" Brooklyn snapped.

"You don't talk to anyone in this house like that without my permission!"

They all jumped when Amir's voice came down like a clap of unexpected thunder. He was topless with a pair of boxers on.

"Put some clothes on, Fauna," he demanded.

Fauna grabbed her things and hurried out of the room.

Anger sprouted like weeds in Brooklyn's chest. Fauna knew about the blossoming feelings Brooklyn had for the mean-mugging vampire throwing daggers at her face in front of her.

"Don't fuck up your first visit. It might be your last," he growled.

Bailey and Tionne left the room immediately. Brooklyn folded her legs up on the sectional. She cut her eyes at him and returned the hard stare.

"Why did you slap her?"

He saw that?

"She's a liar."

"Fuck you talking about?"

"I didn't know you two were a thing."

"A thing? I fuck. That's what I do when I want pussy. She's there for that. Likes it too. You think you were getting some?"

She curled her lip and balled up her fists. So much scorn was on his face.

"You stupid trick. You thought you could get some too? You're not my type."

Shame filled up her face. She could feel the tightening in her cheeks and forehead. Lowering her head, she quickly closed her eyes.

Fauna returned to the room.

"Amir, she didn't know. I never told her about what we do," Fauna said.

She sat next to Brooklyn and took her hand.

Brooklyn felt her shame extend to how she treated her one and only friend left in the world.

"I'm sorry, Fauna," Brooklyn said. She tried to look at anything but the two of them.

"Set her straight," Amir quipped.

He left them alone.

"I'm sorry," she whispered again, "you can hit me back if you want. I deserve it."

"I won't do that. I should've told you about this. I wasn't expecting you to get here that fast. He hasn't wanted me in a while. We have sex sometimes. We're not a couple. It just feels good, and we like being together. I know you like him. I just didn't know how to tell you about that because…I didn't want to hurt your feelings. I have sex with the others sometimes too. It's just what we do here."

Fauna touched Brooklyn's shoulder.

"You'll get used to it. They are open to a lot of stuff and don't hide very much."

"So he can just come up to you and just start fucking?"

"If he wants."

"Can you go up to him and just get it when you want?"

She shook her head.

"He is the head of this house. He decides who he wants to be with."

"Is that why they keep you around? For sex?"

"They don't keep me around. They're my friends. I have fun with them. You'll have fun with them too. Sex is optional."

"You can refuse them?"

"The others, yeah."

"Amir?"

"I can't refuse him. I don't want to."

The admission hurt Brooklyn. Fauna saw it in her eyes.

"He's not interested in me, so you don't have to worry about—"

"It's not a competition, Brooklyn. If he liked you, I wouldn't care if he chose to be with you. There's no rigid rules here."

"No monogamy at all?"

"There are complex relationships. You'll see how it is. You're here now. Enjoy it. You can learn from them."

"Patra is not cool with me. If they were so into free love and open relationships, why is she so petty about Raphael?"

"She's just a bitch."

"That's what Bailey said."

They giggled together.

It still felt shitty that Amir didn't find her attractive.

They joined the others downstairs and Brooklyn loosened up around them. Amir stayed upstairs and while he was absent, the other vampires acted just like regular friends hanging together on a Saturday night. Cigarillos were passed around and she felt high from it. Tionne and Blaise talked her through the sensations since it was her first time, and she felt so good. Free.

She laughed so much with them until her stomach hurt. Time passed and before she knew it, it was almost eleven at night. She checked her cell. No texts or 911 calls from her mother. Karen must've gotten lucky with her date.

Go, Mommy.

Amir walked down the stairs dressed in sleek coffee-colored biker leather with heavy chrome-laced dark boots.

"Let's go!"

The others moved to put on their own jackets and boots.

"Where are you going?" Brooklyn asked.

"Time to feed," Marco said winking at her.

For the first time that night, Devra padded down the stairs. She had on a devastating skintight yellow leather jumper.

"You'll ride with me, Diamond," Devra said.

"What?"

"Get your helmet," Devra said, "Fauna, you want a ride home?"

"I can catch a lift," Fauna said grabbing for her own jacket hanging on a coat rack near the front door."

"You don't go with them?" Brooklyn whispered to Fauna.

"I don't drink blood, remember? Go with them. If you want to."

Brooklyn glanced around. The others looked at her like they expected her to go. She didn't feel like she had a choice.

Following them outside, she grabbed her helmet from her scooter.

The house had a large closed parking gate and Brooklyn watched the others roll out motorcycles to the front. Patra rode behind Raphael, and Bailey rode behind Tionne. Everyone else had their own rides.

"Ready?" Devra said from her closed helmet.

Brooklyn watched Fauna step into a rideshare with hastily wrapped horns. She waved and Brooklyn waved back at her.

The rumble of the bikes excited Brooklyn.

She hopped onto the back of Devra's bike.

"Hold tight, little Diamond," Devra cooed.

Circling her hands around the full-blood's waist, Brooklyn's chest swelled with anticipation. Devra twisted her throttle, and the moment Amir ripped away on his ride, the others followed. The vibrations under her thighs stimulated her skin, making her feel tingly all over.

Amir led them onto the 10 Freeway toward downtown. Brooklyn held tight to Devra's waist. They zipped along and exited a curved street. Her eyes watched their reflections on glass windows of buildings they passed. The cigarillo hit her bloodstream again and the second high made her feel like she was part of something at last. At a red light, Devra pulled alongside Raphael. He pushed up his visor and stared at Brooklyn. He gave her the biggest smile, his fangs sharp, feral, and ready for action. Brooklyn smiled back happy to look at a near reflection of herself.

"You good?" Raphael called out.

"Yeah. I'm fucking great," she yelled back.

She felt her cell vibrate in her back pocket and ignored it.

###

"Why the fuck did you bring her here?"

Kai stared at Blade with heated eyes and a tight jaw.

Blade pulled back the purple wrap that was pressed into Tewahedo's bleeding chest. The wounds were deep and the vampire had lost a lot of blood. Her eyes looked spacey and her disorientation was a far cry from the beautiful put together woman he had an uninvited dinner with. He touched her forehead.

"Tewahedo, hold on," he whispered.

"Do you know what the fuck you're doing?"

"Get me the medkit—"

"Blade!"

"Get me the medkit. Now!"

Kai moved away from the long table Blade put Tewahedo on.

Blade ripped open the woman's blouse. The vampire killers had put two long deep tears from the top of her clavicle down to the center of her solar plexus. Her breasts wore flayed open and the bleeding hadn't slowed down. He could see down to the muscle on her. Like his own wounds from those creatures, it took a long time for the natural vampire healing to jumpstart. He remembered feeling that his own tears were healing after the beast dropped him months ago, but he soon discovered that it wasn't true. His shoulder had only returned to normal in the last two weeks. And he had needed outside help for that.

Kai returned with the kit. Blade slipped on gloves and took antiseptic on thick guaze pads to clean her all over.

An emergency light and alarm buzzer went off.

"The hell is this?!" Kai screeched staring over at their security cameras.

"Let her in," Blade said.

"Let who in?"

"Just do it!"

"This don't make no goddamn sense, man! This is a secret location!"

"Let her in!" Blade bellowed showing all of his teeth.

"Alright…alright…fuck it!"

Kai went to the entrance.

"Blade…I can't feel…I can't feel…"

"Shh. Tewahedo, I have someone who can help."

"Blade!"

Kaycee followed behind Kai and when she saw him, she ran over to him carrying her emergency doctor's bag.

"Sorry to get you out here like this, but I need your help," Blade said.

Kaycee stared at Tewahedo.

"Who did this to her?"

"Can you fix it? We can normally rejuvenate quickly, but the thing that attacked her—"

"The same one that got you?"

"Yeah, the same type of creature. There's something it puts in the wounds that makes it hard for our bodies to fix right away."

"I'll do what I can."

"Thank you."

Tewahedo's wild eyes tried to focus on Kaycee.

Blade tied the vampire's arms and legs down as Kaycee sanitized her hands and gloved up. Blade stepped away from the table to get out of her way.

Kai stood near his own workstation with a grim face. Blade walked across the warehouse to check with him.

"Kaycee is an acquaintance. She works at the UCLA Medical Center. She's the one who patched me up."

Kai held up his cell phone.

"Word on the street from Garcetti is that you killed a vampire from a Royal House. A witness from the restaurant you found her at said you were the last person with her and that you followed her out. They found blood on the street. This is going to escalate."

"Let Garcetti know she's alive…for now."

The screams from the other side of the warehouse were piercing.

"They need proof of life—"

"Then they have to wait," Blade said.

He watched Kaycee work with a surgical needle and thread. Kai grumbled next to him.

"We are in deep shit if she doesn't make it. You will have two fucking vampire Houses down our asses and maybe more."

Blade ignored Kai.

He couldn't think of that. As always, he would cross that bridge if they ever came to it.

###


	13. Coco Blood

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Brooklyn has a lot to learn from her new vampire friends and Blade waits to see if Tewahedo will live.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Enjoy!

"Still cold  
I'm up late but these nights don't faze me  
These red lights, top black, I'm leaning  
No sleep, don't touch me while I'm scheming  
Feel me

I don't wanna wait for love  
Every time I do  
I don't wanna wait for love  
Waiting on him

Are you warm enough?  
Coco blood  
Are you warm enough?  
Coco blood…"

Celeste – "Coco Blood"

Brooklyn hopped off of Devra's motorcycle and followed the pack as they went inside a new downtown building full of lofts. They packed into an elevator and went to a ninth-floor unit that had loud music from within.

Amir knocked on the door and a stocky Black man opened it. A wide human grin split his plump shiny face.

"Come on in!"

The man stood back and they entered. Brooklyn was ogled when she stepped over the threshold and the man glanced over at Amir.

"Who is this tenderoni?"

"That's Brooklyn," Amir said making himself comfortable on the stylish yellow art deco couch.

The loft was huge and Brooklyn looked around trying to figure out what to do. She took a seat next to Baily and Tionne on a black sofa facing the giant loft window that had a partial view of the Staples Center.

"Welcome, Brooklyn. I'm Preston. Most folks just call me Pres."

Brooklyn nodded at him and then her attention focused on several men and women dancing as if they were in a trance around the room. It was a lowkey house party. She felt underdressed and confused. She thought they were going to hunt on the streets.

Preston…Pres, sat down next to Amir.

"Word is getting around about these things killing vampires. Do you know about that shit?" Pres asked.

"Been hearing some things," Amir said. His voice sounded annoyed.

"Lamar was injured by one," Devra said.

Amir cut his eyes at her.

"Damn, I was just about to ask where he was. How bad was he hurt?"

"He's been laying low healing at the house," Devra said.

Brooklyn was surprised. She had no hint back at their home that there was another male vampire among them.

"I've been nursing him back. He should be back in action soon."

"Where did it happen?"

"Down in the valley," Amir said.

His eyes watched the dancing people. All humans.

Raphael walked over and joined the party crowd. Patra was right behind him, swinging her hips onto a light brown man who could've been Southeast Asian. Tionne and Bailey slipped away from their seats and headed into the mix. Blaise and Marco pulled out cigarillos and smoked before swaying their bodies and rounding out the action. There were twelve humans there including Pres.

Devra slinked over and sat next to Brooklyn.

"Have you fed before?"

"Yes. But I do it sporadically. Maybe once a week."

"You can live on human food?"

"Yeah. But the blood…I crave it more."

Devra watched her face carefully. It made Brooklyn feel inadequate.

"You're like a newborn puppy. So cute."

She leaned in closer as Amir took off his jacket and headed over to the party people.

"These are our familiars. We feed on them once every three or four days."

"You don't drink every day?"

"We don't need to. We can if we want but our bodies don't require it. Our stock comes here when we want them. No one comes to our house uninvited. They don't even know where we live. Certain blood types might strike your fancy more than others. Stay away from the sick ones, their blood doesn't taste good and can make you feel queasy for a few days."

Brooklyn thought of Anderson. He had been ill, and his blood tasted fine to her.

"Emotions can change the taste of blood. Fear is the best. Arousal is pretty damn tasty too."

"I heard that you can turn your familiars if you want. I met an ancient at the store who was turning one of his people."

"That's stupid. Turned vampires are the worst. They hold onto their human traits and it's just nasty. Some do it as a reward, but that's typically other turned vampires."

Devra's face turned serious.

"We don't allow our House to turn humans."

Brooklyn was dying to ask how to turn them, but she decided to wait and ask Raphael later.

"We keep blood supplies in our home if we don't feel like going out, or if for some reason we can't leave for a few days. We've had to save a lot these last few months."

"Because of the eaters?"

"Normally we can go out and hunt, split up, and then meet back up, but these things are so dangerous that it's best to stay a big group for safety. We'll probably have to rely on these familiars more. I hate that. I like to be out in the streets."  
"Why?"

"The rush. You'll see. Tracking your prey, attacking them right where they stand…my goodness, it's the best shit in the world."

Devra's eyes glowed a brilliant golden brown.

"Hungry?" Devra asked.

"Yes."

"Let's go eat then."

Devra led her to the rocking bodies.

"Take your pick," she said.

Brooklyn sniffed the room. So many scents that made her lick her teeth.

The odor coming from a Black woman dancing with Blaise caught her attention. Tightly coiled corkscrew curls and an athletic build, the woman smelled of robust flavors deep in her veins. Brooklyn pushed up on the woman, and when she looked at Brooklyn, her eyes showed annoyance. The woman turned her back and whispered something in the ear of a raven-haired beauty who clung to Amir's arms. The dark-haired woman whispered something to Amir that made him laugh, and that angered Brooklyn.

"Bitch!" Brooklyn hissed.

Brooklyn snatched the throat of the Black woman and slammed her against the loft window shoving her fangs into the pulsing throat. Splitting the skin, her tongue sucked and the hot sweetness rushed into her ravenous mouth.

Amir pulled her off of the woman.

"Slow down! Shit!" he yelled.

Brooklyn's tongue slid around her mouth to gather up any drops that may have splashed from her lips. Devra touched her braids.

"You don't have to eat like that with them, Brooklyn. We take our time here," Devra said.

Brooklyn stepped back and looked around the room. Some of the other vampires were laughing at her. A few of the humans were too. Amir looked irritated. Devra and Bailey were the only ones who had any understanding on their faces. She could see Raphael already feeding on the brunette he was dancing with. His lips were gentle on her neck, and it looked sensual like he was giving her a hickey.

"Where are you going?" Devra asked.

Brooklyn plopped back down on the couch and brought her knees up to her chest.

"I'll just watch," she spat out feeling embarrassed by her faux pas.

Pres patted her thigh.

"You'll catch on," he said passing her a cigarillo. He lit it for her and she got high off the vampire weed. A tall young man with haunting gray eyes came over and knelt before her. She stared at the vampire glyph on his neck. She memorized it. This was her food now. If she saw it on the street, she would know she could feed.

"I'm Aubry."

His skin was a soft sepia brown, and he had a cute gap in his teeth. He raised his neck to her. She ran her fingers over his smooth fade. He looked like a work of art. Plunging her teeth into his tender flesh, she took her time, even letting her tongue lick and nip at his neck playfully. It made him groan.

"Shit, you got my dick hard," he gasped.

Brooklyn glanced down and saw the tent in Aubry's tan slacks.

"Don't stop!"

He tilted his head, and when she sucked from him, the taste had changed significantly. It was just like Devra said. Emotions could affect the taste, and Aubry's arousal made him scrumptious. She reached down and grabbed his dick, tugging on it as she fed. She wondered what the others tasted like.

"Fuck yeah!" Aubry shouted as he came in his pants, his semen staining the material and making her fingers slick. She glanced over toward the others and Amir stared at her. Leaving Aubry whimpering on the floor with pleasure, she walked over to a plush Asian woman with short pink hair who waited to be tasted as she swayed to the music. The woman pulled up her top and Brooklyn bit her right above her right breast.

She finally got the hang of everything.

Devra looked pleased.

Amir's eyes still held doubt about her.

But each time he looked at her, she felt tingles in her stomach.

###

Kaycee washed her hands in the industrial sink.

Blade handed her a clean towel to dry her hands.

"I have her sedated. Hopefully, she'll be out long enough for her body to start rebuilding itself. Those were some horrific wounds, Blade," she said.

"Do you have to work tomorrow?"

"I'm on call."

"Good. I want you to stay here tonight."

Her eyes took in the warehouse.

"This is where you live?"

"Yeah. It'll be safer for you to leave in the morning."

"Where do you guys sleep?"

Kai pointed to his living quarters.

"I'm over there, and Blade is up top."

Kaycee looked up toward the loft area.

"We have restrooms, showers…you're good here," Blade said.

"We'll need to monitor her through the night. Is she safe to be here when daylight comes?"

"The warehouse is safe for her. As long as she doesn't try to leave when the sun comes up," he said.

"I'll do first watch if you two want to go rest," Kai said.

Blade nodded and led Kaycee up to his private quarters in the converted office loft. He closed the door behind him and showed Kaycee his bed.

"You can sleep there. Restroom and shower are over in there."

He grabbed fresh towels and a clean t-shirt for her.

"You'll find unopened soap in there on the shelf," he said.

Kaycee glanced down at her blood-stained shirt.

"Be right back."

Blade stuck his head out of his loft door.

"You good?"

Kai sat on a roller chair near Tewahedo.

"All good. You good?"

Kai gave Blade a look.

"Why wouldn't I be good?"

Kai let a sly smile come across his face.

"Just checking. Go chill. I'll call you in a few hours."

Blade was tempted to go down the stairs and just sit through the first watch.

"Go on man," Kai said.

Blade closed the door.

After fifteen minutes, Kaycee walked back into the room and sat on his bed wearing only his t-shirt and her panties. Her eyes sought out his.

"I haven't seen you in weeks. How is your arm?"

"It's good."

"Let me see it."

She stood up and he walked to her.

"Take off your shirt."

Blade pulled his black t-shirt over his head and tossed it on a chair near the bed. Kaycee's fingers traced the faint scars from his old wounds.

"Is there pain?"

"No."

She nodded.

"Who is she, Blade? I've seen my share of vampires, you know that. But that woman down there? The tattoo marks on her chin, her cheeks…she's not a regular around the way girl vampire. Am I right?"

He nodded.

"She's a high-ranking member of a House. A dangerous one."

"Are we safe here with her?"

"We're safe. Right now, her kind thinks she's dead."

"Shit."

Kaycee sat back down on the bed.

"I hope you know what you're doing."

"She just needs to survive."

"Where will you sleep?"

"I'm going to stay downstairs on one of the medical chairs."

"You don't have to go there. Stay here with me."

She sat back on his bed and pulled the covers back. He hesitated.

"Kai doesn't know about us?"

"No."

She crawled under the covers and patted space next to her.

"We can be cozy," she said.

He was tired. A cat nap would help.

Kicking off his boots, he left his pants on and crawled on the bed next to her. They faced one another. Kaycee reached out and held his arm tight.

"I've missed you. You want to take a break?"

"Things are hectic here. I just don't have the energy. And you know I aim to please you."

She ran a finger across his cheek. The aroma of her skin stimulated him.

"I want to keep seeing you. This new problem, these new killers…"

"I'm glad you want to continue our meetups," she said.

"Meetups?"

She brushed her face against his and giggled into his neck.

"I wish you could take a long vacation. Go somewhere fun so you can relax for once," she said.

He stroked her hair.

"You need a vacation too. All those hours you put in at work."

"All I need is for you to drop in on me now and then and just take care of my stress."

She stroked his chest.

"Kaycee, this isn't the place."

She raised the t-shirt she wore and her breasts spilled against his chest.

"Blade…"

She raised her face and kissed him and he let her. His left hand plucked at her nipples.

"Kaycee…"

He squeezed her breasts and tried to keep his voice quiet.

"Ease my stress, Blade," Kaycee murmured.

His mouth went to her nipples and he sucked them both until he was stuffing as much in his mouth as he could. All that soft fleshy weight in his hands had him hard.

He pulled off his pants and hopped off the bed to go into his restroom. He grabbed two condoms from a box under the sink.

They had no business fucking there, but he wrapped up his erection and spooned against Kaycee.

"You gotta be quiet," he whispered in her ear.

When he pushed into her, Kaycee nearly shouted and he covered her mouth with his right hand. His left hand clutched at her breast and he kept his thrusts slow and steady. He had to bite down on his bottom lip to keep himself quiet. The sounds of Kaycee's juicy pussy filled the room and their pleasure was intensified by having to stay quiet. He started to hit her spot hard in her pussy and her whimpers couldn't be held back by the tight grip of his hand.

Blade bit into her neck, and as her blood flowed into his needy mouth, he spilled into the condom. He trashed the first condom and put on the second one. Pulling Kaycee off the bed, he made her stand up on the floor. He needed to thrust into her without the bed squeaking and pounding on the floor.

"Damn!" he uttered under his breath as he held her arms behind her back.

Pumping hard into her made her ass bounce and clap.

"Keep quiet!" he panted.

She couldn't.

He wrapped his left hand over her mouth and thrust his right hand between her legs. Playing with her clit, he dragged two fingers around her sensitive nub. His balls were tight again and he made her cum hard before he dumped his thick ejaculate into the condom. He turned her around and thrust his tongue into her hot mouth and they kissed to make up for the time they hadn't been together.

Kaycee peeled the condom off of him and tossed it, but he was still excited. He made her sit on his bed and he stuffed his dick between her tits and fucked them. Looking up at him, her face made him harder and he shot ribbons of semen onto her neck as she held her breasts together keeping his dick snug.

Dripping his sweat down onto her face, he arched his back to stretch it.

She sat back on the bed and spread her thighs wide and played with her sticky folds.

"Now you're just being evil," he said.

"I missed you so much, baby,' she sighed.

She lifted her left breast toward her mouth and sucked on her own nipple for him.

"Beat your dick for me, Blade," she moaned.

He was partially flaccid, but he stroked himself. As much as he hated the vampire blood in him, the plus side of being one was the sexual prowess. It was something Kaycee craved even when he made it clear to her that they would only be fuck buddies. The multiple erections kept her content. She needed to cum again for herself. He couldn't touch her again because he knew he would go off in her pussy if he did. He fisted himself for her and let the bottom of his fist hit his balls hard. It got her juices flowing again. She opened her pussy up for him so he could see all her wet pink.

"You don't play fair at all," he groaned.

"Keep beating that dick!"

He did.

Her fingers slid up and down her spread folds. She slapped her vulva the way he liked and he gripped his dick under the head. Her full lips puckered and she squeezed her eyes shut.

"I'm cumming!" he snapped.

Kaycee's eyes snapped open so she could watch him cum. Her pussy contracted and he watched all her wet pink open and close rhythmically. He let loose and his release dripped down his hand.

They cleaned themselves up and put their clothes back on. He spooned around her body and held her close.

When it was his turn to watch Tewahedo, he left Kaycee to sleep in his bed.

"How is she?" Blade asked.

"Still under."

Kai stood up and stretched his legs. He sauntered over to his quarters and Blade sat down in the chair near the pureblood. He pulled back the bandages and checked her wounds. It looked so much better with Kaycee's help. The vampire was still alive and that made him feel like they were out of the danger zone.

Tewahedo's face looked relaxed and peaceful. The sedative kept her under longer than Kaycee predicted. Soon, the sun would be up.

An orgasm aftershock made his leg jump and Blade made plans in his head to visit Kaycee in her house as soon as he could. They needed to be loud and animalistic in private.

Tewahedo's arm shook. And then her legs. Her eyes moved rapidly under her lids.

"Tewahedo?"

The vampire's body jerked and she bolted up. Confusion painted her face. Blade stood up and touched her arm.

"Why am I tied up?"

"To keep you from hurting yourself if the pain became unbearable."

She looked down at her bandaged chest. Her bottom half was just draped in a pale blue medical sheet.

"Where am I?"

"You're in a safe place. How are your pain levels?"

"It hurts, but I can deal with it."

"Your people think you're dead."

"Good."

Blade's surprised stare didn't faze her.

"Untie me, please," she said.

"I have two humans here with me. I need you to not try anything," he warned.

"I'm not interested in your humans, Daywalker."

He released her, but she stayed on the table.

"Why is it good that your people think you're dead?"

"I want to leave my family. My House. All of it. If they think I'm dead, then I can escape now."

"I can't have your two Houses stirring up shit just to get back at me," Blade said.

Tewahedo rubbed her arms.

"A witness at the restaurant saw me with you, right before you were attacked. They found your blood too," he said offering her a clean shirt to put on.

She pulled on the shirt and eased her body to the edge of the table. She grimaced for a moment and touched her chest. Her eyes looked weary when she looked at him.

"I can't go back to my family. Help me, Blade."


	14. Widdit

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Brooklyn goes deeper into her new vampire life and Blade discovers a traitor in his midst...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Been a long time! I'm back with this!

"If you widdit baby

Come and vibe get wavy

This hi-life is our daily

They'll never ever ever ever tame me

Lava La Rue – "Widdit"

"Where the hell have you been?"

Karen stood near Brooklyn's bedroom door as she tried to sneak in. Karen closed her pink cotton robe and folded her arms over her chest.

"Do you know what time it is?" Karen continued shouting.

"Yeah. Four in the morning. I was with Fauna. No big deal—"

"No big deal? Well, why didn't Fauna call me back? I called, texted, and voicemailed you both!"

"We had our phones off—"

"What were you doing?"

"Just hanging out at her house. I fell asleep watching a movie and came home."

"When you don't look me in the eye, I know you're lying Brooklyn."

Brooklyn, turned her head to look at her mother.

"Your eyes…are you high?"

"No—"

"You look high. Have you two been experimenting with stuff?"

"Can I just get in my bed, please?"

Brooklyn pulled off her jacket.

"Jesus! Why is there blood on your shirt?"

Brooklyn gazed down at her top. Karen grabbed her shoulders.

"Were you attacked?!"

"No."

Karen's eyes shifted from concern to horror.

"Did you…did you attack someone?"

"No—"

"Brooklyn! Don't stand here and try to punk me. Did you go out to drink blood?"

"I was just experimenting with Fauna—"

"Experimenting? She knows what you are?"

Brooklyn was still drunk with the bloodlust of the night before.

"Yeah, and guess what? She's not human either."

"What?!"

A giggle spilled out of Brooklyn's throat and she flung her bedroom door open and turned on her overhead light. Pulling off her jacket and tossing it on her bed, she pulled off her shirt and balled it up. The clothes hamper by her closet became a makeshift basketball hoop as she tossed the t-shirt into it.

"See? All gone, Mommy. All gone."

She plopped onto her bed and pulled off her plain brown flats.

"You're on something," Karen accused, stepping into Brooklyn's room cautiously.

"I'm high on my new life."

"New life?"

"Forget it, Mommy. It's not serious—"

"Why would you reveal yourself? What is Fauna—"

"Can we talk in a few hours? I'm tired."

Karen stepped in front of her.

"Why?" Karen asked.

"I'm tired of hiding. I didn't even know she wasn't human either. Maybe that's why we bonded so tight. Two freaks trying to fit in like normal people—"

"You're not a freak."

"Mommy, please."

"What is she?"

Brooklyn pushed her braids back and crawled onto her bed clutching a pillow.

"Do you know what she is?"

"Her people are called Y'ybx…yibex…yeebecs…something like that. They look like humans except they have horns. That's why she always wears headwraps when she comes over here."

"Horns?"

Brooklyn pulled out her cell from her back pocket and opened a file of pictures. She held the phone up to Karen.

"They don't eat people in case you're wondering. Sometimes they cut off their horns to fit in, but it's painful and grows back. They are a small population in L.A."

"Where are they from? I mean, originally."

"Between South Sudan and Ethiopia. It's why they live in Little Ethiopia to blend in. Just like regular people."

"Why would you drink blood? You don't need to do that."

"I was just trying it. To see what it was like and it spilled on me."

"Is she okay? Does she have blood like us? Dammit, Brooklyn, you can't just drink anything-"

"I didn't turn her into anything if that's what you're asking. And yes, she has red blood. Just like humans."

"That's not why I'm asking."

"It won't happen again."

"Good."

"Can I sleep now?"

"How did the blood affect you?"

Brooklyn threw herself back on her bed.

"Do you want to take me into your little lab and experiment on me?"

"No, I just want to know. This is important."

Brooklyn eyed her mother.

"It made me feel strong."

"Do you feel urges to drink again?"

"No."

Brooklyn knew that Karen believed in nothing she said except for Fauna being non-human.

"I'm tired, Mommy."

"We'll talk in a few hours."

Karen left her room and Brooklyn stood up and closed her bedroom door. She could hear Bootsy scampering around outside. She was proud that the dog didn't snitch on her by barking. Curling up on her bed, she thought about her adventure with a real-life vampire crew. Everyone was open to her except for Amir and Patra. Her cell vibrated.

Come back over tonight.

Raphael.

Balling up into the fetal position, Brooklyn fell asleep dreaming of blood and soft tender human flesh.

##

Blade watched Kaycee look over Tewahado's wound.

The vampire's eyes were all over the human and he caught the imperceptible movement of her nostrils taking in his scent on the woman. Even though Kaycee had showered, Blade's vampire odor was all over her marking her as his woman.

"You fuck this human?"

Blade's eyebrows jumped to his skull and Kai cackled from the other side of the warehouse. Kaycee covered the healing wounds with the large bandaging. Her eyes stared at Tewahado in a challenging way before she walked over to the big sink and washed her hands.

"Do you feed on her too?"

A sly grin came across Tewahado's mouth as she saw the discomfort on Blade's face.

"Oh, you like this one. You look embarrassed."

"It's none of your business," Kaycee said.

Tewahado pulled on the t-shirt Blade gave her.

"I've cleaned out as much of the toxins as I could. You will probably take a long time to get better like him."

"You were attacked by those things too?" Tewhado asked.

"The longest healing I've ever done. The sun is up. You can stay here for one more day, but then you have to go."

"Where will she go, Blade?" Kaycee asked.

"I can't help her."

"Why not?" Kaycee said.

"My work is to exterminate, not babysit."

"I just need a few days to disappear. I have contacts that I think will help me."

"Your husband will rip this city apart looking for you and trying to figure out what happened."

"I don't care about him."

"You will start a war and bring more death," Kai said.

He walked over to them with a stern look on his face.

"I can give you a ride out of the city, but you are on your own—"

"We have to let her people know she ran away!" Kai said.

"I can give you some valuable information if you can spare me some time here."

Tewahado's eyes were not as sharp as they had been at the restaurant. She stepped down from the cold metal examining table and Kaycee jumped back because the movement was preternatural. Blade stood in front of her to block Tewahado in case she turned on the woman.

"I'm not interested in your toy."

"Do you have to be so offensive to the person who helped you?" Kaycee said.

"I thank you for your assistance, migibi—"

"Shut your damn mouth," Blade hissed.

Kaycee stared at him.

"What did she call me?"

Tewahado smirked.

"Food. She called you food," Kai said.

"You know our original tongue?"

"Know thy enemy," Kai blurted out folding his arms and staring the vampire down.

"Don't let any accidental sunshine hit your butt," Kaycee spat.

She stalked her way up the steps to Blade's sleeping quarters.

"So sensitive. Nice thick girl. I bet you snuggle up nice and tight with her. You enjoy feeding on those big breasts. Your scent was so heavy on them."

Kai's eyebrows shot up this time.

"Whoo…okay, I'm going to get back to work. This is all you, man," Kai said walking away.

"What does she taste like—

Blade wrapped his hands around her throat and lifted her up. In her weakened state, she didn't put up much of a fight.

"Blade!" Kai yelled running back over.

"Blade, don't!" Kaycee shouted from the top of the loft stairs.

Blade quickly slammed a protective collar around her neck and dropped her. Tewahado clutched her throat and her fingers fondled the metal.

"You try to leave and it will kill you. You attack the humans and it will kill you. You get out of pocket one more time…I will kill you."

"Can I move around freely? I won't touch anything—"

He slammed metal cuffs around her left wrist and pulled her over to a mounted chair near the downstairs restroom.

"You can sleep right here."

"I can really give you useful information with your quest."

"Like what?"

The vampire crossed her legs and sank back into the chair, her fingers curling around the armrests.

"That woman detective you work with, Garcetti—"

"How do you know her?"

"She works for my family. She feeds us information about the city, but more importantly, she gives us details about you."

Blade glanced at his side. Kai was right next to him with a tight face.

"Garcetti?" Kai said in disbelief.

"Am I worth protecting now, Blade?"

Her face held no malice and no deceit.

"Start talking," Blade commanded.

###

Brooklyn waited until her mother went to bed early and slept for two hours before she snuck out of the house. She left her scooter behind and fed Bootsy Benadryl to make him drowsy. Fauna was around the corner in her parent's car. Their apartment had no garage so her parents had to park their black Honda Civic two blocks away off of Fairfax Avenue. They wouldn't know it was gone and Fauna would have it parked before early morning. They didn't want a Lyft driver to know where they were going.

"You look cute!" Fauna said.

Brooklyn wore a jean jacket over a new outfit that she bought from her job. A body-hugging black goth top and pants set with a heavy silver choker with a long silver chain attached that wrapped down her back and around her waist as a belt. Her four-inch black heels were snug on her toes, but she felt sexy. Her make-up took some time too to put on thanks to some online tutorials. She pulled her braids up into a high ponytail allowing the dark tresses to flow over her shoulders.

"Your eyelashes are so adorable!"

"Took me a long time to get them on," Brooklyn grumbled slinging the seatbelt over her body. They left Culver City to hop on the 10 East and exited near East and Seventh street right around the corner from the Greyhound Bus Station.

Fauna parked in an area surrounded by distribution centers and they walked ten minutes to an old produce warehouse converted into a private club for creatures of the night it seemed as Brooklyn took in people lined up outside waiting to get in. Fauna checked her cell phone.

"They will be here in about fifteen minutes," Fauna said.

Brooklyn received the same text from Raphael.

"Should we wait in the line?" Brooklyn asked.

Her eyes dance across the patrons waiting and she tried her best not to look so green by gawking at beings she had never encountered in her life. Odors, sounds, looks, pairings, and groupings had her dazzled by the strange newness of it all. Brooklyn had never gone clubbing before and she had never been around so many beings at once, human or otherwise. She began to feel overstimulated in a good way.

People with horns like the ones Fauna unwrapped while they stood away from the queue. Unique bodies twisted and reconfigured in non-human ways. Beings that look like ethereal angels, and those that looked like demons from hell. Brooklyn drank it all in. Fauna handed her some vampire weed. Brooklyn stuck the tree between her lips and waited for a lighter from her friend.

"Shit, I don't have anything to light it," Fauna muttered digging in her small purse.

A flame flickered under Brooklyn's mouth.

She dipped the joint into it and took a long drag, blowing smoke into the face of the vampire that held the lighter for her.

His eyes.

Dark. Dangerous. Daring.

"Thanks," Brooklyn said.

"You're welcome," the man said.

His eyes dragged up and down her body.

"I'm Selwyn," he said holding out his hand.

"Brook—"

Fauna slapped her hand away.

"What are you doing?" Brooklyn asked.

Selwyn laughed at her. Fauna tugged on Brooklyn's jacket and pulled her aside.

"We are in Amir's House. You can't fraternize with other vampire clans like that openly. It's disrespectful—"

"You're a rogue," Selwyn said.

Brooklyn saw his nose twitch.

"Half breed," he said.

His teeth were unusually sharp looking. A few of his boys were posted up against the building watching everything.

"What about it?" Brooklyn said taking another puff of her joint before passing it to Fauna.

The weed was doing its magic, loosening up her tongue and making her loose with her words. Selwyn stepped closer to her.

"I don't have a problem with it. This Amir's?" Selwyn asked Fauna.

"Leave us alone," Fauna said.

"A rogue is free game," he said.

"Free game?"

"That means you can come get with this," Selwyn purred.

Brooklyn felt her body tingle all over. He was so damn seductive and his voice was clipped as if he were holding back his full mack game.

"Are you worth it?" Brooklyn asked tilting her head to her side and allowing her braids to cascade down her right shoulder.

Selwyn took her hand and pulled her toward his friends but Fauna stopped her once again even though Brooklyn happily curled her hand within his. She couldn't help herself. His confidence and direct action to take her made her a little moist between the legs.

Fauna yanked hard and Brooklyn let go of his hand.

"Come on!" Fauna insisted pulling them closer to the entrance.

Brooklyn whipped her head back to stare at Selwyn. Those sexy eyes were still on her.

"They are letting the dregs in here tonight."

Brooklyn snapped her head back toward Fauna and saw Medja at the entrance. His white eyes caught Brooklyn's and he smiled.

"You two are here?" he teased.

Brooklyn sauntered over to him and spun around.

"Told you it would look good on me," Brooklyn said fishing for compliments.

"If you were taller maybe," he smirked.

"Jealous," Brooklyn said slapping his arm playfully.

"Little vampire, do I look jealous?"

Medja spun around with his designer bag and gray overcoat.

"Peasant," he said.

"We're waiting for Amir and them," Brooklyn said.

"Just come in with me so you don't have to be around this sordid crowd. This place has really gone downhill over the years. Let's go plebians."

Medja snapped his body around and they followed him to a brutal looking doorman with skin like a cobra and a set of double horns on his head; two large curved ones and two smaller ones.

"Entry for three," Medja said.

The doorman looked at Fauna and she pulled back the collar on her neck. She had a glyph there and the man let her step next to Medja. He looked at her and Brooklyn shrugged. The doorman shook his head.

"She can't come in—"

"She's with me—"

"I can wait for Amir, " Brooklyn said.

Medja gave her an annoyed look.

"Hush," he said.

Brooklyn closed her mouth and made herself look humble.

"Don't make me call Ninurta," Medja challenged.

The doorman snapped to attention and moved aside.

Brooklyn walked behind Medja with Fauna.

"Do we have to pay?" Brooklyn whispered to Fauna.

"Not with Medja," she whispered back.

A coatroom stood to the left side of the narrow dark entryway. Medja snapped his fingers and they gave him their coats. He passed them to a whole black-eyed Asian-looking woman with full lips and dark matte lipstick. Her eyes regarded Brooklyn with suspicion as she handed them small retrieval tickets.

"My, my, my, Miss Brooklyn. You came to stunt on these hoes," Medja quipped.

Brooklyn could feel the thumping of a massive bass beat and she took one last puff on the weed. Medja walked like a regal God once more and when they entered the actual two-story space, her mouth fell open.

"Holy Fuck," she whispered.

"Welcome to the Bacchanal," Medja said winking at her.


	15. Techno Pimp

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Brooklyn gets to know Clun Bacchanal.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Enjoy!

"If you were fly, playa, then you would not,  
Let them game on you, and take what you got!  
Just like a river, you gotta get flow!  
It's a new day, playa, act like you know!

'Cause I'm Daddy. I'm Daddy. Feelin' good  
Whippin' wood in the Caddie.  
'Cause I'm Daddy. I'm Daddy. Whippin' wood.  
Feelin' good in the Caddie.  
'Cause I'm a Pimp. Pimp! Pimp! Pimp! Techno! Pimp! Pimp!  
Pimp! Pimp!"

Joi (Gilliam) – "Techno Pimp"

Brooklyn stepped into the extravaganza that was The Bacchanal Club.

Part Cirque du Soleil and a respectable attempt at a French Grand Guignol theater, the club stimulated all of Brooklyn's senses. The odors inside the building were more intense than the ones she smelled waiting near the line outside. Her brain made rapid-fire connections to the diverse beings and their scents, while her eyes shifted to see more than what mere humans could handle. Even her tongue could taste particles in the air from those with fur instead of hair, and those who had scales and shells and brittle bits instead of pliable smooth skin. Her protective sense, the one often known as the sixth sense went into overdrive as her natural instinct at self-preservation kicked in. She was aware quite quickly of what creatures to avoid and who were open to fraternizing on some level.

The warehouse was huge and seemed to spread out far in the distance and even though it was only two stories, the distance was high and the roof was even higher, probably even higher than she could actually see if it weren't for all the dramatic multi-colored flashing lights and laser beams, and the colorful wisps of smoke and the rotating mirrors that gave the place a surreal theater of the damned feel. Stripper poles dotted along the main floor that was configured to allow as many bodies as possible to cram onto the dance floor. Surrounding the massive polished onyx floor were red and black couches and blood velvet plush chairs and fancy black marble tables where people talked, kissed, fucked, or watched spectators, or even did all four in time to a throbbing orgasmic beat. The second floor seemed staged for the VIPs, with decadent areas sectioned off with heavy dark satin drapes for privacy up above, but also angled for the joy of being a voyeur to the action down below. In the far backdrop was a stage where a live five-piece band played the music next to a high-perched DJ Booth. Projected images streaked across the walls drawing Brooklyn's eyes to the gigantic chandelier above the dancers.

A demonic-looking and naked white-skinned woman with short choppy black hair flew over the entire crowd with translucent blood-red wings that spanned twelve feet across her back. A small bald man with dark mottled alligator-like skin rode her back with a whip in his hand, slashing dancers down below for his own amusement. Another winged pale-skinned being with male genitalia openly displayed crouched on the banister that led to the top floor on the right-hand side of the main entrance. It tried to get Medja's attention, but Brooklyn's boss paid it no mind as he swept up the stairs.

At the very top of the stairs, two seven-foot bouncers blocked a straight path to the private sections. Medja spoke a language Brooklyn couldn't grasp and the larger of the two bouncers stared down at her. A large nose with four nostrils and small horns studded in its chin and cheeks made its face intimidating. A thick protrusion of bony material under its neck skin made the broad throat area bulge. Silvery eyes took on more curiosity with her visage and she admired the two horns on its forehead. Strangely, it had a handsome face and Brooklyn smiled at what she saw. To her surprise, the creature gave her a grin and turned to lead them to a middle section that had one of the best views of everything down below.

The bouncer pulled back the satin divider/opening and they sauntered in. She admired the posh lounge furniture that matched the black and sanguine color-scheme and took a seat where she could see all.

"Pizinar, this is Brooklyn, one of ours. Look out for her, yes?" Medja said

"Yes," the giant said as it returned to its post.

A Black female vampire with a jaunty dip in her hip sidled over to their section carrying an empty tray. Her eyes were starry-eyed as she looked at Medja.

"Welcome back," the vampire said, "how can I serve you Medja?"

"Three mootas for now," Medja said taking off his black hat and placing it behind his seat.

"Welcome. I'm Lenore."

"Brooklyn."

"Nice to meet you. Nice to see a new face here. I like your hair," Lenore said.

"I like yours," Brooklyn said.

Lenore smiled and her sharp teeth and gleaming eyes made Brooklyn feel comfortable. The first openly friendly vampire she had ever met one-on-one in public. Lenore handed her a menu from the black apron wrapped around her waist.

"We have a wide selection of vital fluids made fresh on site. Our specialty is clots and cream."

"Clots and cream?"

"It's a snack for vampires made of human blood clots mixed with seasoned blood," Medja said.

Lenore looked closer at Brooklyn.

"Are you new to Amir's House?"

"Our drinks," Medja said.

Lenore looked into his eyes and quickly scampered away to retrieve their libations. The flying demon woman swept past and the little jockey on her back was now blowing fire from his mouth leaving the stench of burning petrol in the air.

"This place is wild!" Brooklyn said with glee in her voice.

Fauna nodded in agreement and Medja looked bored.

"This place needs a makeover in the worst way. Just cliché and poor taste."

Fauna rubbed Medja's arm.

"You should do the décor," Fauna said.

"I really should. But…there's something kitschy about it that I like. I will let it be….for now."

Brooklyn's eyes caught sight of the guy from outside.

Selwyn.

She stood up and rested her hands on the railing of the second-floor balcony. Selwyn and his crew of five cholos swept in. They headed toward the edge of the dance floor with their dark button-down shirts shiny in the lights, and their tan Dickies and black boots made for stomping instead of dancing. Despite their casual dress, there was something still noble about their appearance. Beings deferred to them as they moved about.

Brooklyn's breath hitched.

Amir stepped in wearing the coat she chose for him. His inky black hair was glossy in the lights and he took in the scene before him. The rest of the House trailed in and surrounded him in a half-circle, and they were all dressed to the nines. They were imposing as a unit.

Selwyn turned and glared at Amir. Both men sized each other up until Amir threw up his hand to give Selwyn some dap.

"You didn't want me to talk to that dude, but Amir knows him," Brooklyn said.

Fauna moved to stand near her.

"They are friends."

"What was the big deal then?"

"You still have to learn a lot of rules about how Houses work. Even if you are friends, the head of your House decides when you can interact so no misunderstandings come up. There are nuances with hanging out."

"So stupid."

"Traditions. I had to learn to."

Amir and the others turned to head up the stairs and Selwyn watched them. When they were led over by the bouncer, Brooklyn and Selwyn's eyes connected. It was unspoken, but he wanted her to come down to the first floor. She would've stared at him forever if she didn't feel the presence of Amir. Her eyes turned to her right and Amir paused. His eyes raked up and down her form before he continued walking. He brushed past her and took his seat next to Medja. The others flopped down in the other lounge couches and chairs. Raphael's bright eyes stared at Brooklyn.

"Like it?" he asked.

"Yeah."

Patra planted her onion booty on Raphael's lap as Lenore returned handing Brooklyn her drink. It was a warm silver twelve-ounce cup filled with blue-green liquid and a bit of teal smoke wafting from it.

Fauna drank from her cup eagerly so Brooklyn followed suit and poured it into her mouth. The first taste was sharp and tangy before she was able to decipher the flavors. It tasted like melted warm rainbow sherbert ice cream with a hard kick in the aftertaste. It was good, the liquor flavoring foreign to her and hitting her bloodstream fast.

Blaise was flirty with Lenore as she took more drink orders, and Brooklyn kept her eyes on Amir who did not pay her any attention as he chatted with Medja.

"Bring me a Clots and Cream," Brooklyn told Lenore.

"Be right back," Lenore said with glee.

"Ow!" Brooklyn yelped.

The fire eater swept past with the flying demon again and lashed his leather whip with two sharp hooks at the end onto Brooklyn's arm. It drew blood.

"Fucker!" she shouted.

Amir and the others laughed at her.

"That shit ain't funny," she said rubbing her arm.

"It is," Raphael said as he clutched his stomach.

Amir's throaty laugh made her angry and she cut her eyes at him.

Lenore returned with another server and passed out drinks to everyone. She handed Brooklyn her request last.

"Enjoy," Lenore said with a flourish.

The small glass was studded with colored crystals and the contents were dark black and thick.

"Drink it like a shot," Lenore said.

Brooklyn tossed it back and the taste was so sharp and tasty that she groaned. The others stared at her with amusement.

She licked the rim of the last drops.

"That's…let me get another—"

Lenore passed her another glass.

"I knew you would like it, so I took the liberty of having an extra for you."

"Good looking out," Brooklyn uttered as she downed the second one.

Her eyes closed and she savored the texture of gelatinous clots surrounded by a hot pepper-like spice.

"She's hooked," Petra shouted.

The purple sequins on Patra's short lavender dress sparkled. The DJ took to the booth and the music turned even more seductive.

"I'm going downstairs," Brooklyn announced.

"Coming with," Fauna said clutching her hand.

They left their section and passed by others and she tried to peek into them and caught glimpses of other groups of strange and wondrous beings. How could so many different freaks stay hidden in L.A.? Walking down the stairs and pushing through the floor, Brooklyn felt like she was looking at the living pages of a mythical encyclopedia. The drinks and her weed hit her and Brooklyn started dancing with Fauna near a group of women. When she bumped into one Black woman, a set of sharp teeth were bared her way, and on instinct, Brooklyn hissed back.

More Black women vampires. Brooklyn could feel and smell their aggression filter away as they looked at her. The woman she bumped into leaned in close.

"Sorry, sis, sometimes weirdos try to rub up on us."

"I hear ya," Brooklyn said feeling the tension disappear.

The girl handed her a fresh glass of Clots and Cream. Brooklyn took it and knocked it back fast. Soon enough she was part of the little group of sistren bloodsuckers. Fauna tossed her braids and one of the vampires stroked her horns. The music made them hot, horny, and Brooklyn felt a bonding instantly.

Their bodies followed the flow of music and eventually, Brooklyn danced with other people. Fauna pulled out another joint and they smoked out on the floor. Brooklyn blew smoke into Fauna's open mouth before kissing her. They wrapped arms around each other and Brooklyn let her hands travel up Fauna's waist until she was squeezing her breasts. The lights on the dance floor grew dark and neon glowing pinks and purples lit up the arms swaying and waving. Brooklyn watched Fauna unbutton her top so she could suck on her tits right there in the crush of movement. A plump nipple made Brooklyn moan and all she could see was Amir tasting that same nipple. Fauna held her neck as she suckled and squeezed the heft.

"Dirty little girls," Raphael said as he slipped in between them and placed his full lips onto Fauna's breast, pulling her away from Brooklyn. Fauna pushed her ass against Raphael's dick and he fondled her tits as they danced. Marco and Blaise joined them by dancing together. Patra bounced around Tionne and Bailey, while Devra wrapped her body around a tall translucent-skinned man with long ginger hair that moved like serpents.

Brooklyn snapped her fingers and shook her hips, and when Raphael started kissing on Fauna, she took the hint and moved further into the sea of bodies. She saw Selwyn dancing with a tall white leggy brunette vampire. When he saw her, his eyes lit up and he stepped to her fast.

"Brooklyn," she said.

Those sharp fangs of his appeared and he licked his tongue over the top ones. She grabbed his hand and pulled him away from the other woman, leading him deeper into the masses as the music throbbed around them.

He could dance.

Selwyn twirled her around a few times and pulled her in close as she wiggled on him. His body heat was scorching and she laughed at all the false myths about vampires being cold dead creatures. No, they were fire. She was on fire with him. He lowered his head to kiss her and she played coy, turning her head, so he went lower and nipped at her neck playfully before sucking on it without breaking any skin. Pressed hard into him, she could feel every muscle on his body as she wrapped her arms around his neck.

It had been so long since a male had touched her. Selwyn smelled like mesquite wood burning in a winter fire, and she sank into him wantonly. She could feel her nether region swelling and he was making her pant from his kisses. She grabbed his face and thrust her mouth on his, her tongue a heat-seeking torpedo. She heard him groan and he lifted her up so he could ravage her mouth more. The need to connect with him was scary, her entire body yearned for his touch. He yanked her hair back and his dark captivating eyes had her hypnotized.

"You want me as much as I want you," he said.

It was true.

She could feel her pussy already gushing wetness in her panties.

"Diamond."

Raphael was by her side with Fauna next to him.

Brooklyn could not stop looking at Selwyn. His eyes never left hers. His fingers rubbed soft circles into her lower back and his dick was firm against her body.

"Amir wants you back up top," Raphael said.

"W'sup, Raphael," Selwyn said.

"Selwyn. Diamond…let's go."

"Fuck that nigga," Brooklyn said stroking Selwyn's arm.

Selwyn broke out into a sexy grin.

"Brooklyn, c'mon. You can't be with him like this," Fauna pleaded.

"We're just dancing," Brooklyn said with a gruff tone.

"Yeah…dancing. Selwyn…." Raphael said.

"She's rogue homie. She gets to choose," Selwyn said with a sneer.

"Brooklyn…"

Fauna's plea made Brooklyn wrench her eyes away from Selwyn.

"You don't know what you're doing. Don't get yourself kicked out of here," Fauna whispered to her.

Fauna yanked her away from Selwyn and dragged her away once more. With sullen eyes, Brooklyn looked up toward their VIP section. Amir stood there glaring down at her.

Brooklyn stopped walking and glared back.

"Hey, sis!"

The group of Black female vampires sauntered over to her again shaking their generous hips.

"Fuck him," Brooklyn mumbled and joined the girls in dancing.

Fauna tagged along and Brooklyn spread her arms and did her thing. Selwyn moved to the edge of the dance floor and watched her with his boys hovering nearby.

Charisma, the vampire she bumped into on the floor entwined her fingers with Brooklyn's.

"You know Selwyn?" she asked.

"Just met him."

"Really?"

Charisma tossed back her long dark brown hair as she looked over at him. Her dark satin skin shimmered with glitter sprinkled all over it.

"Are you part of a royal House?" she asked.

"Me? No."

Charisma stopped dancing and stared at her.

"You have to be connected somehow. They don't let half-breeds in here and he wouldn't be talking to you if you weren't."

"What are you saying?"

Charisma's eyes grew big and her sharp teeth were visible with her mouth being open so wide.

"That man is from the royal House of Tlilticoatl."

"And?"

"And? Bitch, really? You're messing around with a Prince and don't even know it?"

Charisma gawked at her.

"You must be real high, or real stupid, sis."

A vampire prince?

Charisma looked up at the second floor.

"Prince Amir looks mad at somebody," Charisma said.

"Prince Amir?" Brooklyn blurted out.

She glanced up at Amir. He waved his hand at her. Charisma stared at Amir, then looked over at Selwyn.

"Gurrrllll. Are you kidding me? Ooh, uh uhn…nope…later sis. You got problems."

Charisma darted away fast. Raphael tugged on her arm.

"Let's go," he said.

Brooklyn let a sly smile twist her lips.

She jerked away from Raphael and shoved past people making her way back over to Selwyn. When she reached him, she put her hands on her hips.

"What's your real name?" he asked.

"My name is Brooklyn. But they call me Diamond. You can call me either one."

"I want to call you mine," he said.

Brooklyn's stomach tingled and Selwyn held out his hand to her.

She took it.


End file.
